Locked By Truth
by PiggyBankers
Summary: With nothing but barely her sanity, she pushes herself to hold onto what's left of what she has. The twisting emotions she endures is a risk, and so is Deidara. Rated M just in case! Deidara/Ino Ino/Deidara DeiIno InoDei Deidara Ino
1. Empty Point

**Chapter 1: Empty Point**

_Warnings: None, really. Though you should be notified there's quite a lot of Konoha junk. _

_A/N: My first posted fanfic. ^^ I really hope you enjoy it!_

_Update: I have updated this fic multiple times in hopes of improving the  
writing of the weak chapters. ^^;  
_

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* * *

**

Ino's feet moved swiftly across the ground as she tailed after the ominous shadow ahead of her. The figure was too swift and evasive for her, motivating her to mold her chakra onto the soles of her feet as she launched forward. The raven-haired shinobi churned his head, the dangerous realization that the Yamanaka was nearing him flooding in. Hastily, he jumped out of sight. The blonde kunoichi blinked. Where did he go? Her mental thought was quickly answered as gentle rustling in the bushes a few meters away from her brushed against her senses. She trailed after the sound, slowing down her pace as she neared the source. Ino peeked through to see the man standing in an open field. He was still, _so vulnerable_, his back facing her.

Ino smirked. The dirty, bearded ass was just a few meters away. Now all she needed to do was perform her Shintenshin no Jutsu, retrieve the scroll from his pockets and then, _success_. Ino formed the first hand seal of the jutsu before cupping her front fingers and thumbs into a rectangle. The seal was formed firmly, chakra running through it, and she pushed her seal forward.

_Shintenshin no Jutsu_.

And with that,she felt her senses began to fade into sheer darkness.

* * *

"Ino...! Wake up already, will you?" She found herself hearing. Oddly enough, she was isolated in eerie darkness, yet an untouchable sense of the presence of others surrounded her. The voice belonged to Asuma-sensei, and she mustered as much strength as she could handle. Her eyes slowly lifted, fluttering open.

"What...happened?" She croaked. The last thing she remembered was performing her Shintenshin no Jutsu, but nothing else. She did _not_ remember taking the scroll from her victim as she planned. Amnesia? Memory loss?

In that familiar, lazy tone of his, Shikamaru elaborated. "We found you lying on the ground unconscious. You didn't have any bruises or cuts or anything so we're guessing you missed your jutsu..." His thin lips curved curtly.

She missed her jutsu? They did the work for her? A tight clench at her chest caused her to draw a swift, shallow breath as she lugged her body upright. "Wait,_ how _could I have missed the jutsu? My aim was perfect!" She stated with protest, bewildered at such nonsense - though she knew that her gentle clamoring was just an excuse to defend her own reputation and display from her teammates. There was _no _way that she could've missed!

"Yeah, well, that's what I thought too. It turned out to be genjutsu though," Once more, his lip curved in lacklustre. "He countered my Kagemane no Jutsu."

So the man had been planning that the whole time. He was more intelligent than he seemed. A mental cuss whispered viciously - Ino didn't know what to say, lost for words, lost for thoughts. Blank. "...Oh...so...you got the scroll back?" An idiotic question, it was, considering they had already done their jobs.

Choji held up the scroll between his meaty fingers. "Right here."

"What about the other scrolls? Did you guys get your assigned victim?" She asked, persistent on having someone unsuccessful with her. It may have been selfish, it may have been wrong, but if she was going to go down, then having someone else would ease things out; cynical, it was.

"Geez, what's with all the questions?" The Nara sighed, prominently exasperated. "Yes, we got them all."

Their mission was to capture every member in the criminial cult so Shikamaru suggested for them to be assigned a certain victim to make things easier and run a lot smoothly. So everybody in Team 10 was able to get capture their assigned criminal. Except for her. Her face fell, as her insides twisted with the feeling of being degraded.

Asuma's eyes locked on her, feeling her discomfort rise to its peak. "Hey, it's alright, Ino. Remember, you guys were just replacing the Jonins that were supposed to be on this mission. This is much more advanced for a Chunin." Comforting wasn't his best point, though he had tried.

_Yeah right. So why was everyone else able to get their target except for me? _The words may have been inward, but Ino stifled the urge to screech them loud enough for everyone to rock with confusion and shock. Yet, at the same time, it could've just left as a baby's whisper.

"Alright, let's head back to the village now." Shikamaru cut her thoughts, strolling past the trees as Ino frantically rose and strode after.

* * *

Ino leaped onto her bed, plummeting on her back with shame. _Why was she so useless? _In every single mission, success may have been captured, but... she didn't _do _anything in any. Two and a half years ago, she had considered herself futile; and now that she was a medic-nin, things...didn't seem to change. The frustrating thoughts crowded into her mind, pricking at her most unbearable ideas until she fell into an unnerving slumber that had yet to prove their worthy.

* * *

The Yamanaka felt her eyes flutter open at the beating, irritating Sun. Releasing a loud yawn, she hauled herself up, flexing her arms before ambling across the room. The blonde eyed herself in the mirror inquisitively, realizing the mess she was and how she had not changed when she got back from the night before. Her hair was still up in its perky ponytail. Scornfully perceiving herself with one last glance, she scurried into the bathroom, taking a shower. Once finished, her usual purple top and skirt served their purpose and traced her figure, as her long bangs draped over one side of her face. Her netted shorts were concealed by her violet skirt, though it didn't matter too much. Her cerulean eyes roved over her figure, nodding in satisfaction at how she looked.

The kunoichi quickly rushed out of her house, in hopes of finding someone she could comfortably confess her incident to. She scanned the crowd of people, careful on who to choose, though most were villagers and strangers that had yet to be met.

Stranger, stranger..._Naruto. _Ino grimaced; she definitely was not going to confide in Naruto, that big mouth. A streak of pink strands caught her eye and she quickly waved, her hand swishing against the gentle, silent breeze.

"Sakura! Over here!" Her voice called, reaching the Haruno's ears.

Sakura twirled around gracefully, lips curing into a delicate smile as Ino skirted through the chain of people. "So, where are you headed to?" Ino inquired once caught up, attempting to start a good conversation that could melt her jumping nerves and twisting mind.

"Oh, I was just headed to Tsunada-sama's office."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Seriously, again?" How typical.

The rose-haired kunoichi giggled. "Well, gotta do something. Wanna come?"

"Why else would I be walking with you?" Ino snorted with a gentle, vibrant chuckle.

As the two females ambled, they talked about their medical training. The two debated over processes, operations and precision of how things were meant to be taken. They clamored and quarreled, persuading one another into believing their own side. While walking down the hallway that lead to the Hokage's office, the news about her mission swamped her thoughts. Confiding in Sakura would be a good remedy, wouldn't it? Her lips parted to speak, but before she could, Sakura had swung the door open. _What? _Her eyes scanned the room, the bewilderment eroding past her skin, the orbs widening in shock.

Shikamaru quickly whirled around, his alarmed eyes expanding as if he had just been caught doing a crime.

"Uh, Ino," Asuma ran his hand through his tousled hair.

Ino's gaze flitted around the room once more, registering every single person; Team 10, Hokage, Shizune, Sakura, herself, Tonton. "Something up here, Sensei?"

"Well, um, Ino we're-" Choji began, feeling pitiful for his kunoichi teammate.,

She interceded with her own words, slicing his words off with a deadly glance. "Shut it. I'm asking Asuma-sensei - the leader of the team." The ordering matter of her voice was almost reprimanding. A disdainful sneer tugged on her lips as she turned expectantly to the nervous Jonin, her arms folding together with a knowing look. Ino's heart pulsated frantically, as he did not say anything in response; she was not ready to accept the tiny truth. Not yet. "So we're all going on another mission?" She questioned, glimpsing at the expression on everyone's face, any hope dropping with an icy barrier.

Shikamaru sighed. "Ino..." He sighed, a pinch of sympathy knitting his words. "it's just us. You're not coming."

_Ah, shit_. "_What_? Why not?" Her mouth tugged back, her teeth barring as if she were ready to snarl and growl.

Choji hesitated. "Uh, there's no _specific_ reason..."

"Hey, this isn't about the last few missions, is it?" The anger ran through her veins, tangling with her dubious thoughts. "I mean, we're a team after all..."

Shikamaru averted his gaze. "Ino, it's nothing serious." He reassured her - and rather weakly at that.

"Then tell me." The Yamanaka simply demanded, hope engulfing her chest, despite the fact that she _knew _why. But still, she was persistent.

"Alright, why don't you guys just take this conversation outside?" Shizune nervously sliced through their conversation, the hot air strangely turning icy cold. Ino discharged a sigh, her eyebrows knitting. _Oh, great..._ Team 10 strode into the hallway, leaving the office and exiting the building.

"Well?" Ino bound her thin eyebrows as they stepped onto the ground.

Asuma sighed, the truthful words escaping his mouth. "Alright Ino, we just thought that you could take some time off from missions to...well, _train_."

Being squashed under a boulder was how it felt. "So...you're saying I need to improve..." Her chest tightened as she sucked in deep air; it had to be noticeable sometime. There were no excuses when your flaws were witnessed.

"Everyone needs to improve, Ino." Choji commented supportively, offering her a cracked chip.

_Yeah, well, you're excluding me from the mission... Don't try that on me._ Her nostrils flared, as she stifled the words, managing to keep her mouth shut from shooting anything out that could very well shatter her dignity, or anyone else's.

Her mouth wavered dangerously. "Okay.", was all she choked out before strolling away, leaving the rest of her team staring at her with doubtful, guilty orbs that would've haunted herself with guilt, if not for her anger that shadowed any resistance to continue forward.

* * *

She returned. Even after recovering and incorporating medical ninjutsu on herself, her arms and back were still battered, being in terrible condition as they stung with immense affliction that stabbed through her skin. Ino discharged a sigh; she had _done _the training. She had done _tons _of training. Suicide, almost. Her teammates were probably off on their mission, whilst she stood at the entrance of the flower shop. The sweet aroma of wild and tame flowers filled her nostrils before spreading through her whole body. Oh, how she wished she could move around. The smell of flowers would've been the best medication for her.

"Ino?" Inoichi, her father, strode into her sight, greeting her with a grave, unwelcoming expression. "What happened?" His lion eyebrow cocked quizzically, his eyes grazing her with examining intent. She swallowed; her father was quite stern at times.

Ino's voice masked well. "Yes...?"

"Did something happen?" His words were coated with expectancy, as his gaze laid upon her.

The words played in her head, as she faltered. "I was training," Her throat cleared as she fixed her gaze to the ground. "just to, you know, get better."

Skeptically, he cocked his head to the side, before scanning her once more. "Hm, yes, training is good."

_That's true._

"Ino?" A light, feminine voice called. Ino recognized the voice immediately. She whirled around, her cerulean eyes locking into the jade eyes of Sakura. Behind the emerald moss, there was a considerate, caring shadow - what linked them as 'friends', despite their rivalry.

"Obviously." She chuckled.

Sakura rolled her eyes, before glancing back. "What happened this afternoon?"

Ino cringed; a subject she was rather touchy on. "Some training pizazz is all." She mumbled, coyly twirling her corn silk locks with her finger as her eyes flickered away indifferently. _No big deal... _She wished she could believe it. What if she would never change?

"Oh, really?" She tilted her head dubiously, eyes narrowing with skepticism. "C'mon Ino; you and I both now there's something bothering you."

She vacillated, but the words spluttering from her lips was a submission. "My team didn't want me to come on the mission because they thought I wasn't skilled enough." The words burned so badly, smoldering in her throat like flames.

"Oh..." Sakura turned away. "You just need to improve a bit, is all. That's not too bad, right?"

She drew a shallow breath. "Yeah, I guess not..." _You don't understand... _

"Alright then." Sakura felt a smile of relief tug on the tips of her thin lips.

The blonde plastered a fake, sweet smile on her face. "Thanks... I trained a bit harder today."

"Well, no problem. You need the improvement." Sakura beamed lightly before comprehension flowed through her of the last few words that had slipped out of her mouth. Ino just stood there, staring with wide, light cerulean eyes at her. _Another unintentional diss. Just what I needed._

"'Kay, it's late. We're closing. Get out." The blonde kunoichi muttered bitterly and pointed at the door.

Sakura scurried out, a knot of guilt and anger entangled.

* * *

After taking a longer shower, the Yamanaka finally got snug in her bed. The bed stood against the wall, next to a window so that she had an open view on the glowing moon. The flawless, bright sphere was shining so brightly with evasive luminescence. She exhaled loudly, pulling her knees to her chest. The rest of her team were probably out of the village already. She closed her eyes and mentally wished them good luck. Despite this, Ino was still upset. Sakura's words echoed in her head. '_You need the improvement_.' That nerve...the next time Ino saw Sakura and her large forehead, she was going to gift her a punch. But then again, Sakura was right; She needed the improvement. She had failed too many times on the mission. How many missions? _About...6, 7, 8, 9..._

9 missions she had done nothing. She couldn't do that again.

_So Ino, you better get stronger before other people doubt and deny you! _Her mind screamed.

Her eyes flitted open, a new glow shielding them. Ino laid her back down on her soft bed and pulled her thick covers over her figure, the thought still in her mind. Ino almost whimpered - she _had _to grow stronger. _  
_

_

* * *

_

The dim cave with walls that echoed of darkness was not empty. Inside, behind the murky, clammy rocks that shielded the rocky floor were S-ranked criminals that have scarred many lives from before, and continue to do so. The multi-colored holograms circled their holographic leader, some stern and austere, others free-spirited and outgoing. Murky droplets of water plummeted on the cold floor, dripping and echoing like the call of a dying fish.

"Deidara, this is where one of the families from this clan reside." The deep voice of the leader said, tossing a picture to one of the holograms.

"A flower shop, un?" An inquisitive simper marked his face. "This should be complex." One of the holograms, Deidara, spoke, slight fascination and curiosity portrayed by his eyes.

"We only need one person from the clan; their abilities will be used to aid us in gathering the information that our victim here holds." Pein gestured to the unconscious male body lying in the middle of their large circle, as everyone gazed wantingly, mockingly and bloodthirstily at him.

He voiced, "Konohagakure, un?" A hint of scorn smoldered his tone, but he swallowed quickly to conceal any reluctance.

"Yes. This is a simple, quick mission that will be done solo. Complete the task soon." Pein spoke, his eyes set on him with full confidence.

Compelling, it seemed - what artistic aspects of a Yamanaka would fascinate or disgust him? If any artistic points at all. His eyes flickered around the room before setting with simple ease. "Understood. I'll have captured a Yamanaka within a week, un." Deidara declared.

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_A/N: How was that? :D Hope you liked it-! _

_Review please. xoxo.  
_


	2. Shadows Of The Moon

**Chapter 2: Shadows of the Moon **

_Warnings_; _Konoha junk. This will be taken to the minimum after this chapter.  
_

_A/N: Pretty short chapter... Promise that things won't be this short again, mmkay? Welp, hope you enjoy!  
_

* * *

"_OUCH_!" Ino yelped, plucking splinter out of her arm.

Kiba sat across from her, an eyebrow exalted. "You sure you wanna keep this up?" His husky tone spoke, sending slight chills of temptations down her spine.

"Yeah, I have to." She stated adamantly, plucking out another skim of wood that had pierced her skin.

His face scrunched, ever so slightly before the resilience overtook it. "Alright then." The Inuzuka hesitated but rose, crouching into a defensive stance with his canine companion.

Her lips curved, coyly curt as she exuded a sigh. For the past few days, her requests for help and training for her peers were constant and numerous; sometimes they were annoyed, and even she was provoked with herself for being so persistent. Exhaustion had already hooked onto her, but she would merely try to shrug it off and return to her extra dose of training. Whilst incorporating her effort into such an action, her teammates were _still _wherever on their mission without her - the sole reason she was doing it in the first place.

Kiba huffed, impatience knitting his eyebrows together. "Well?"

"Alright, alright." Ino scoffed, lips churning into a sneer as she prepared her own stance.

"Heh, get ready." He warned, a smirk dancing on his face as he pounced at her. Ino side-stepped his attack, only to be knocked over by Akamaru. The kunoichi got back up, recovering herself and scowling, before shooting multiple shuriken from her hidden hand. He easily dodged them, swiftly swerving directions, before attempting to slash her with his claws, swiping and swinging his arm at her, in which she jumped to avoid, landing on a thin branch. Again, Akamaru raided her defense, knocking her off the balancing wood as she whizzed to the ground. The Yamanaka fell on her feet, making a new seal. She connected her thumbs and index fingers together to make an angular rectangle for her Shinranshin no Jutsu.

_There_.

Akamaru was bewildered as he continuously launched at his owner, Kiba glowering at the kunoichi in the process. An invigorating euphoria welcomed her as she clutched onto a new confidence, fingers stiffening as she maintained the seal. The Inuzuka neared, stumbling closer and closer; her hand darted out, arming a kunai as the blade skimmed through the air towards him. Instantly, her wrists were caught in his hands, his strength lugging her to the ground as she had no choice but to follow the force. But, she wasn't going to give up yet. The blonde felt her hand fling the kunai at Kiba, catching him by surprise. The kunai _barely_ got him, but flitted past his cheek with a slice, a streak of thick, scarlet liquid racing down. Kiba grazed the blood off with his hand, wincing from the burn that touched him.

"Ouch..." She mumbled, tripping upon standing up. "Dammit, Kiba! You hurt my ankle!"

Kiba snorted, "Deal with it. You're a shinobi." The glint in his sharp eyes were mocking, enough to make her avert her gaze in humiliation.

Ino felt herself flush with anger. A simple and obvious answer, yet so true.

"Well, I guess that should be all for today." His arms expanded, stretching and flexing as he exuded yawned. "Akamaru and I are leaving now. See ya." He crowed as he began to stroll away, lifting his hand to give her a nonchalant wave over his shoulder.

Ino could feel her lips tug into a small smile. She was _improving -_ Maybe not as high as people's expectations, but still, better. She rose, brooming the dust off her skirt and examined her ankle. Red and swollen, it smoldered with affliction, even throbbing a bit. No sprains or breaks, however. Manipulating her chakra, the jade-shaded glow manifested from her palms, numbing her aching and rendering it cool and stiff. _This is the least I can do for it now... _

As she vivaciously ambled home, Ino felt the golden sunshine brush against her face. She let out an exhilarated sigh, drawing a shallow breath with the ardent breeze. Even the simplest thoughts like knowing you were getting better at something could do so much to your temperament. On spur of moment, the sun's rays were gone, no longer illuminating vibrantly. Blinking, her gaze flitted to the sun, and as she squinted, she was able to distinguish a figure. An unclear silhouette mounted on a... bird, was it? A _large _bird... Whatever it was, it stopped the light from reaching her. The object peaked her suspicion; what _was _it? _Oh, whatever_. She breathed, dropping the situation. There wasn't any value in observing a small, insignificant thing.

The flower shop was in sight as Ino continued striding, her delicate, light steps padding against the ground rhythmically. By glance, Ino knew the house was empty. Lights off, door shut, blinds closed... all factors to her conclusion. Her father was probably mingling with Shikaku and Choza whilst her mother with her own friends. She groaned, a weight of boredom locking onto her shoulders. Dawdling into the store, a bouquet and paper captured her gaze. _A... love note perhaps? _The exciting inquisition latched on as she sauntered closing, snatching the card, only to deflate.

_Ino,  
Mrs. Emiru kindly requested for a delivery of her flowers which I had accepted.  
Unfortunately, I'm not able to deliver this bouquet because I have business to attend  
to. So, as a daughter, I would like you to respectfully deliver the flowers to Mrs. Emiru  
You know where her house is. Deliver it before evening.  
-Mum_

Ick. She was going to have to deliver a bouquet to _that _family? She grimaced, remembering the time where she accompanied her mother in delivering flowers to their house. Reluctantly, she grabbed the bouquet and headed out. Ino peered at the sun, hands hooding her eyes as she peered up, the alar creature gone.

* * *

_Dammit, dammit, dammit_!

Another turn and she still wasn't at the Emiru residence. Ino clearly recalled that that lady's family lived by a corner that was was engulfed by dust, debris and dirt. However she just couldn't pinpoint the location. Swerving at another corner, she groaned in frustration. Her memory portrayed a building with an awning of dirt, dust and debris. Which didn't match the building she stood before. She discharged a yawn, gripping the assortment of flowers even tighter.

A large, pale bird glided. And it flew by.

Ino ignored it, continuing her scour. Almost suddenly did her eyes began to absorb her surroundings; chalky, black ash stained the walls of each building. Almost as if a fire had occurred recently. Like there was an explosion recently.

* * *

It took several tries, but she was finally able to deliver the delicate bouquet before weakly fleeing the area. She sauntered around the paths, stumbling cluelessly. She stepped, the echoes of the scathing thuds reverberating to her ears. Until, _smush._ Her heel sunk into a substance. _Mushy_.

Scornfully, her gaze dropped to meet with a white substance her foot had planted in. Eyes scrawling into a glare, she manifested a face before nonchalantly scraping her foot against the stony, flat ground. And she strode off.

* * *

"Alright, now try to get better balance on yourself otherwise the enemy will ambush easily!" Sakura urged, her pants and gasps light and eerie. Her jade eyes focused on the Yamanaka, who staggered relentlessly, grabbing onto her coordination as she charged forward. Ino's fist launched out, pounding into Sakura's defensive wrists. The Haruno was surprised by the draconian in her attacks - it wasn't _like _Ino to be so harsh and tenacious with training... not like it was a bad thing.

"This is so tiring-!" She emitted, thrusting another fist.

Sakura's lips quirked into a sly smile. "But you're doing great," she assured. "keep it up!"

The Yamanaka felt deteriorated; despite the praise that wove, she loathed the idea of Sakura being her senior, or even more enhanced, and trying to 'guide' Ino. Yet, they both knew. The very fact itself piqued her. To exacerbate it, Sakura was hardly throwing in any of her own offensive moves. Azure locked onto jade, and Ino neared closer... and toppled.

"_Kyaaaa_! Damn...!"

The Haruno scuttled quickly, "Hey, what happened...?"

"Mrm, I injured my ankle today training... It just feels a little rigid." She uttered.

Sakura briskly cast a sweeping, analyzing gaze. "Maybe we should stop here..." She suggested. "It doesn't hurt too much, though right? Do you want me to assist?"

"No no no, I'm fine... It's not in pain; more like stiff and awkward is all." She passed an assuring glance. "But anyways, I agree. I think I'll go home and rest now." Ino scaled onto her feet, her equipoise and balance prevalent and natural.

"You can walk?" Sakura inquired, peering over.

"_Yes, _Sakura. I said it doesn't hurt. I can walk, I can run." She rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly fine."

Sakura chortled as the two kunoichi began to pace and exit the forest. "My, my, don't get so defensive."

The Yamanaka felt her shoulders roll into a shrug. _God, I _am_ really tired..._ Her azure eyes flitted to the dim sky; it held coruscating stars which rained throughout, peaked by a spherical moon radiating an ominous, pale luminescence. A cold, lonesome breeze swept by, whilst heavy wings flapped in the distance. The night was dark and perilous, in its own way. _It's... frightening out tonight. _She pended, mental shudders lingering through her mind.

"So you're going to head home?" The Haruno's voice streamed, pulling Ino back into reality.

She blinked. "Err, yeah, I guess so. And what about you...?"

Her thin eyebrows bound momentarily in pensiveness. "I have to fill in for one of the patrolman tonight, so I think that's where I'll be going in a bit."

"Patrolling?" The cornsilk blond snorted. "Why do we need patrolling? It's always so boring nowadays, ne?" She pointed with a snicker.

Sakura shadily narrowed her eyes. "Tch, we always have to be careful, Ino." She leered - though her expression rapidly phased into a chuckle and small smile. "Well, I guess I should leave now; my position will begin soon. Bye-" Her hand flitted into a small wave before she sauntered away into the shadows.

_

* * *

_

Ino hesitated as she placed her hand on the door to the entrance of her shop. The lights were still off, meaning her father was not home yet, despite how late it was. Should she go seek him out? Nah - she was kunoichi pushed the door forward, ignoring the dead lights and continued her way forward. She stepped into the next room, to be welcomed by her lips unsealing into a gasp. Though it was already dim, a darker silhouette lingered within the darkness, still and expectant.

"You kept me waiting for a while, Yamanaka, un."

* * *

_A/N_; _And voila, the second chapter is BAMF, finished. Again, apologies for the not-so-lengthy chapter.  
You need not worry about this in the future. Thanks for reading, of course-! _

_Reviews would be nice. :D  
xoxo.  
_


	3. Barely Aid

**Chapter 3: Barely Aid  
**

_Warnings_; _  
_

_A/N: Personally, I found this chapter a little tedious, but if you think otherwise... well go ahead! :D  
Enjoy-!_

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* * *

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The kunoichi's eyes expanded as she stared at the elusive figure. Her knees trembled as took shaky steps back, backing up until she began to stumble upon coordination. "Wh-who...are you...?" Her voice was like a soft whimper - a whisper in the wind.

The masculine voice chuckled. "I can't reply to that right now, un." The voice was mocking, but Ino captured the dangerous intent to it.

Ino couldn't see who it was. Nothing but a shadowy figure stalked towards her. What was he here for anyways? Why would anybody want to assassinate someone like _her_? She was a mere kunoichi! The word rang through her head. _Assassinate_. _Oh. _Despite her frozen locked legs, she whirled off on her heel and took off, darting towards the door. Only when she was only a few feet away did a kunai glide past her, pricking solidly in the wood.

"You're just making things worse for your well-being by trying to escape, un." He commented with a chortle.

This was bad. Ino shakily whipped out her own kunai, and widened her stance. A charade; she was truthfully wrecked. The man sauntered closer and she flicked a kunai at him. The blade flew more rapidly than expected, but was devoured by the darkness. She knew she had missed as the footsteps began to grow. They stopped and another kunai darted at her; she pushed off her feet to the side. What would she do now?

She was _hyperventilating_. Her raspy breathing as if choking, and her whole body was quivering with horrendous fear. _Relax, relax. _It was her legs' turn to move on their own. She found herself running towards the intruder with her thumb wrapped over her fingers. Only a few inches away... Ino swung her arm at him but missed as the man ducked and abruptly, she felt a strong impact chastise her bare stomach. With a piercing yelp, she backed away limply but persistently grabbed another kunai.

Ino tossed this blade at the intruder as well, allowing it to maneuver toward him in a swift, nimble motion, but it was eaten by the hands of darkness, evaporating into the silence once more. Cannily, the moment was stolen as an opportunity for a _shintenshin_. As the rectangle formed by her fingers appeared intact, she focused her chakra into it. _Now! _Nothing. Ino couldn't feel any grip or struggling; she missed. Her cerulean eyes grazed the corner of the room, seeing the dark shape reappear again. He stood there, an unseen expression smeared on his face and then clasped -what looked like- his hands together. The faint noise of stretching and pulling filled the air... Then, a white blur launched at her, all too quick for her to react well enough. Ino gasped, leaping back to dodge it, but it was too late.

_Bang_!

* * *

...Pounding in Ino's head was uncontrollable and consistent... It cluttered her mind with aching thrashes, as well as a gravitational pull to the earth. _Too heavy..._ She was...lying on something. A breeze stroked her face; she was...moving? Her eyes fluttered open to see the illuminating stars dancing past her. Only then did her deep orbs widen in alert. Lifting her weighing head, her head inclined carefully to the side. Black cloak with intricate scarlet clouds. _Akatsuki_. Her breathing lurched, accelerating as the beads of sweat streamed on her neck. Daringly, her posture straightened as her hands clutched the substance beneath her for balance. _Oh my God. _Her tummy churned and smoldered as the vision of her flailing off wove into her mind. Golden hair waved wildly from the melodious wind. The back of the person was facing her, pulling her inquisition to who this person was... yet, she was terrified to discover.

Her head dropped to explore what she was set on. A type of white, stiff material. _Flap, flap_. Flapping...? Her gaze trailed to the sides, watching as the wings swayed in a flitting motion. Wings? She turned around. Tail? ...This was a bird...and she was flying. _Flying! _The blonde screeched, loudly, all matters crushed under her complete, stricken panic. The criminal in front of her sighed angrily. Ino glimpsed at the man with the lengthy, sunshine hair. Comprehension began to flow in her mind as the conclusion weaved viciously - this bird was made from the clay, the bird she had seen earlier, and this man was the figure who had abducted her. _The intruder_.

"Wh-whe..." She managed, but all that came out was a whisper. The Akatsuki member said nothing so she tried again. "Where am I?" Her silvery voice was slack, weak.

"You're flying in the sky, un." The deep voice answered simply.

"I _know _that. But more specifically..." Her eyes wandered around, daringly glancing at the man.

"We're flying over the Wind Country at the moment, un."

"_...Who are you_?" A stronger tone rectified her words, demanding. With the small dignity, her eyebrows bound allegedly.

The man churned his head, narrowing his eyes. "Akatsuki. That's all I'll say, un." He snickered enigmatically and she soon recognized the boyish tone -masculine, definitely- in his face, voice and laugh.

_I know_ that. "And, what does your organization want with me?" She voiced steadily, cannily keeping her distance as her guard locked into place. Her fingers dug into the stiff, snowy material - strained, terrified and forceful.

"That'll be explained when we arrive, un." He turned forward again, ignorance coating his actions.

After witnessing his identity, she was able to register the contours of his face. His curved golden bangs curtained his...scope, which concealed his powder eye. His hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she could also see the lengthy hair that was loose and fell under his cloak - a half ponytail. His eyes -eye- was a light shade of grey-ish blue, almost metallic. A metallic sea. There was something about them that pierced like icicles, ominous and threatening. His forehead protector contained an engraved symbol of Iwagakure, but it was hard to avoid the horizontal slash that scarred it.

She commenced to demand the answers, but his own inquiry interposed first. "What's your name, un?" The man asked, still gazing ahead. "Don't try to lie." He warned.

Her voice was wary, "Ino..."

"_Pfft, _trying to hide your identity?" He snorted, hiding the side of him that was provoked by this. "Ino _Yamanaka_, correct?" He pressed, a tone curtaining his unsure thoughts.

"...Yeah."

_Good. _"Hmm, I thought maybe you would've been more of a challenge, un. That was a quick fight." A chortle of taunting manner and disappointment was released. Dark, yet a weightless snigger that heated her blood like smoldering flames.

_How... arrogant. _"...Let me down." Her eyebrows bound as the valiant words snarled from her lips.

"And what are you to do about it?" He taunted. "A worthless kunoichi who's incapable of fighting is threatening me, un."

_Bastard... _Her fingernails drove through the clay, strained and terrified._ This guy is... dangerous. _"I don't care," She growled, the words woven menacingly as she dared herself to glower at his back. "_let me down_." A breath exuded at the end_.  
_

"No." He denied, nonchalance painting the single word.

Ino's lips pressed together into an unsure line. _What _exactly could she do? Her gentle orbs screamed at the sight of their altitude. _He'd throw me off. _

He shrugged, as the pale bird began to deliberately dip down. Ino squirmed around in her seat, shuffling around as they lowered. _What was going to happen to her_! She felt her body tense, taking the panic that was dominating her senses. _Shit, I'm gonna die! He's gonna kill me! He's gonna kill me! _With the thoughts, her pulse began to rapidly circulate with frantic worry. Her body was still stiff and rigid, and the overall feeling felt.._.surreal._ The fear was absolutely unbearable, but her number one rule was to concentrate on better things - more positive factors, though she was quite dubious on such things in her situation. Instead, she kept quiet, evading her instincts of threatening the man in front of her to let her down. _I shouldn't get on his bad side now if I want a chance of surviving... _

But she knew that inside, she was just deceiving herself. _A killer was abducting her. _

* * *

"We're here, un." The S-Rank criminal clasped her arm violently, culling her from the bird. Ino stumbled, but was forced to tail him into the dim, murky cave. His grip was hard, strong and painful - the Yamanaka cringed at the force. She tried numerous times to shrug his arm off, but that had irritated him, "I'm not going to let go, un." Warning or not, she was persistent. Her eyes were rigid, hard with the corners of her thin lips wrenched into a scowl. _She couldn't disgrace Konoha like this_. Maybe a shintenshin would do it? As her elbow jerked once more, allowing her arm to suddenly slip from his grasp, Ino got ready to launch it into his abdomen.

But he caught her arm - it would've been a strong blow. Even Ino could tell. Maliciously, the man snatched her other arm, wrenching and locking. Ino gasped at the shockwaves of pain that insinuated to her arms. Her mouth released a breathless shriek, before he dropped her arm. "Don't get hasty now. Follow, un." He muttered, provoked. And his voice lowered. "You'll regret it." He growled. _Stupid girl doesn't know what she's doing... _

And an inquiry weaved through her head once again as she cringed; _why am I here?_

The blond male performed a hand-seal, revealing his coal painted fingernails and delicate ring. The conjoined boulders suddenly loosened and pushed away from each other, repelling and morphing to leave a large opening in which the two entered.

"So, you've finally returned!" The loud voice startled Ino, striking her instantly. The tone was strange...a rough, wavering and static edge to it. She merely blinked with bleak eyes "Geez, that took a hell of a long time. I would've had the sucker ready a while ago-"

"Shut up, Hidan, un!" The blonde criminal clamored adamantly. _Hidan_? Was this another member of the Akatsuki?

"Where is the Yamanaka?" Another voice said. A heavy, controlling voice filled with animosity and manipulation. The wavering edge dispersed across the tunnel, sending chills across Ino's spine.

The blond criminal to her side cleared his throat. "She's right here, Leader."

"A _female_? What the fuck?"

As Ino approached the next opening, she was able to see that the voices belonged to...colorful figures. They wavered and shocked, the dark luminescence oddly terrifying. But as she crept closer, her sights were more discreet and distinct; a holographic sight. Eight holograms. Ino gaped at the frightening figures; all with the same attachment, but different silhouettes.

"Step forward." The commanding voice spoke again - the leader, as he had just been referred to.

She let go of the Akatsuki criminal's arm as he released hers as well, and slowly strode towards the figure. "Your name." He demanded.

"Ino," Her lips quaked, throwing her voice off note.

The orbs of the hologram observed her. His eyes were a maze of circular rims, folding into one another. "Yamanaka?" The hologram catechized.

A pause was presented before she briskly nodded. "Yeah..."

"Hm..." He inclined himself towards the other blond. "Deidara, until matters are ready, you're responsible for her."

_Deidara...?_

The male's lips seemed to scrunch into a disdainful grimace, but bitterly he said, "Fine."

Ino was blank. Her long legs seemed to step on their own, following. She descried a low passage ahead, constructed from the familiar murky boulders that rounded into a dim opening. They sauntered forward into the channel - it was horrifying to allow yourself to be led by somebody who could kill you in an instant. A stiff, rigid mask deluged her contours - empty, accepting and still... she wanted to hide her fear. The Yamanaka's eyelids were heavy, her mouth propped open with a slack jaw, creating an emotionless delusion. Inside, _behind _that mask, was terror that cursed her blood into frosty icicles. And still, she never knew what was happening.

The criminal lugged her inside a spacious room, shoving the petite girl onto the clammy ground. Dirt, debris, stones compressed together to manifest flat walls and floors - the perfect environment for insects. It was aphotic, but the she could register certain things all thanks to the slight distant illumination from the fire lamps outside the room. He churned to leave only to be halted by raspy coughs. _What an asshole! _The thought weaved viciously through her mind but she was only able to continue with the helpless facade of nothing. Or at least try to. "You're going to leave me _here_?"

His head inclined, allowing his cascading bangs to curtain his face. "You'll just have to deal with it, un." His silhouette vanished behind the door.

_So this was... Deidara_?

* * *

Hours had elapsed, and Ino remained confined within the room. There was no escape; she had tried to open the door, but to no avail. She had scoured for a hole or opening, but none. She had tried to call for somebody, but it was simply too dangerous. Almost asking for a requiem. The air swirled around her as she fell onto her knees, scathing them in the process. Her palms focused onto the floor of debris, balancing what was left of her weight. _Why am I here? ...Why do they want me? _

Her safety had slipped away from reach hours ago. _  
_

* * *

Ino's arms were molded around her stomach as she rocked on the floor in misery. Her eyes were squeezed shut, trying to endure the swelling pain the was targetting her abdomen. She couldn't sleep, despite how exhausted she was. Whether it was daylight, or twilight - she didn't know. Not that it'd matter during a crisis like this. Her stomach roared again as she groaned. Her grunt came out in cracks - an obvious sign of her parched mouth.

The door peeked open, revealing a metallic blue eye through the crevice. "Y-you...!" She was baffled, unaware of whether she was more shocked or frightened. The thin opening widened as the whole door swung open. The blond man stood there, holding a tray with a small bowl and glass balancing delicately on it. She crawled over, mouth propped open over the delicious aroma that centered around her senses.

"Here, un." He said, setting the tray on the floor. Ino's eyes widened quizzically as she grabbed the spoon, taking a sip from the soup.

"Did you... cook this?" Her eyes were being invigorated by the food, as they flickered to stare at his. His eyes were cold to hers and she quickly averted her gaze, regretting having done it in the first place. _What do I think I'm doing? _

"No. Danna cooked it." He replied.

Ino disliked how the air began to mute, but she made an effort to keep it alive. The silence felt perilous and threatening in its own striking aspect. "Oh..." She nodded, consuming more of the nutrition. "Tell him I said thanks." She commented bluntly.

He scoffed, "I'm not going to do something that would waste my time like that, un."

Her gaze, once again, shied away with anxiety as she kept careful with her movements. She continued to nibble on her portion of bread, and took tiny sips from her glass. The Akatsuki member merely stared with disinterest, the tickle of his bored gaze tensing her. Her chews began to soften, slow and dither as awareness began to evolve inwardly. _Food...? They're... giving me food. _She blinked. _That would mean... they _want _something from me. _She mentally noted this. _I need to be careful and make sure I don't expose Konoha. _

"Eat quickly, un. I'm tired." He ordered, jaw slack and angular.

_But... what about _my own _safety?_

Her eyelids flickered, "Evening...?"

A stiff, curt nod was his response, allowing her uneasiness to grow. The last of the food waned in her mouth, smothering her senses with new invigorating euphoria. A sigh was repelled as she hesitantly offered him the empty tray with a disinclined, fleeting grunt.

The blonde criminal glimpsed at her.

She shook her head and commanded, "L-leave. _Now_." Once again, Ino turned away, lips wavering anxiously. Her cheeks were corpulent and stout, fizzing with uneasiness.

_"_You're on _my _territory, un." He murmured. "Don't get ahead of yourself now; I know you're being courageous, but you're just putting yourself in danger." He breathed, and exited the room.

* * *

The Yamanaka's cherubic cheek pressed against her clammy arm, emitting chills across her skin. "S-so cold..." She breathed, her voice manifesting into a cold fog. Her icy figured was curled into a fearful ball, trembling as her arm serving as a pillow and barrier from the ground. "_So cold...!" _She wailed, this time allowing herself to express her frustration. The door protruded open, swinging and plummeting into the stone walls. She froze, rigid and frightened like a baby. But kept quiet.

"What the hell are you yelling about, un?"

She instantly knew who; that impediment could only belong to one person at the den. "...S-sorry..." She whimpered, quivering both from the cold and trepidation.

"_Hrm..._" He groaned. Her back was facing the door, but it was if she could feel him shaking his head in disapproval. "Calling for help won't do you any good, un." He marked slyly, almost obscenely. His stare was piercing, but cunningly confident.

Valiantly, she revolved to face him. Pulling herself onto her elbows and propping herself up, the girl swallowed. "Wasn't trying to..." She groaned snidely, eyebrows binding. _This guy is starting to get on my nerves... _"I'm j-just cold..." Her peacock eyes lowered darkly, exhaustion mustering inside. The way she shuddered, the way she spoke - it was already enough to portray how frosty she felt. "Do you h-have blankets I can have...?" Ino's head shook. "I _need _some." She refused to let her dignity fall. She _couldn't _be belittled... Shinobis weren't supposed to be like that. They shouldn't have been terrified and obedient to the _enemy_. But it seems she'd already slipped a few times.

He vacillated before blandly replying, "...Yeah, un." He began to turn away. "I'll go grab some."

* * *

Deidara stroll through the halls, leisurely toying with his detonating clay. _Blankets are with Kakuzu, I'm guessing... _The clay centipede was fortified, squirming swiftly before bursting into a quick eradication.

"Deidara...!" A gravelly voice groaned crossly. Angry, but monotone. Disdainfully, Deidara twisted around to face Sasori, who fastened a bitter expression on his cold face. "You've agreed to discontinue using your self-proclaimed 'art' and allow me to work on my puppets in peace."

"My art is _true_, danna. Nothing can stand forever, un." The blond shook his head in disagreement.

"Deidara, you idiotic _brat_... Enough with your fake theories of art already. True art is strong, enduring and graceful, _everlasting_. True art is something that can withstand the eternity that awaits and stands victoriously." The puppet forced the words, smoldering them.

"Hmph, no, that's not right." Deidara protruded bluntly.

Sasori slanted his eyebrows in displeasure at the blond's nonchalance. "_Deidara_, you know nothing about true art! Why are you so blind to what's standing in front of you?" He clamored.

Deidara chuckled, "How so, un? I don't count mindless puppets as 'withstanding eternity'. Danna, I'd be impressed if you could find me one thing, besides puppets, that can display your false theory of art, un."

"You _brat_. It is not _false_ and we both know that I am capable of doing so."

He grinned haughtily."Yeah, sure.

"Leave me at peace already," Sasori muttered as he turned away. Before he lugged back into his room, his mind captured a distant thought. "Keep that Yamanaka girl quiet. I don't need anymore disruptions with my art than what I already have. Very provoking."

The blond Akatsuki grimaced, touchily irascible. "She's not under my control, Danna."

"Yes, but Leader specifically stated she was your responsibility. Tell the stupid girl to shut her mouth before I kill her out of irritation."

He rolled his eyes. "Hmph. I'll try my best, un." Both began to stride in opposite directions, silent in rumination.

_Ino Yamanaka...__You're quite unique, aren't you?_

_

* * *

__A/N:_ _& that's that. Not the greatest ending, but I'm more eager to write future chapters so let's count on that!_

_Review please! :3  
_


	4. Rationality

**Chapter 4: Rationality**

_Warnings_; _  
_

_A/N: So so sorry for the long wait! I'll be honest here; _no _I wasn't busy with classes, work, etc.  
I was dawdling around & doing nothing, really. I'll try my best in the future  
to avoid doing this, but I never was the best at keeping my word. X3 _

_I'd also like to thank my subscribers, readers & reviewers! I wasn't expecting as many of you to have  
this story on their alerts! Thank you so so so so much! o3o_

_Enjoy!  
_

* * *

_Bang! _

"_Ngrhhh..._" The Yamanaka drawled, sleepily. Her arms reached outwards, stretching and flexing as her eyelids fluttered open. _Bang!_ She lurched in shocked panic as the noise grew stronger, more vociferous... _closer_. "H-hello...?" She bit down on her lower, plump lip as the doorknob twisted edgily. It gaped open as Deidara peered in shadily. Ino felt a ripple of distress break at the sight of him. Her stomach strained tautly with weltering weariness. Better _him _than any other perilous Akatsuki though, right? _Or maybe I'm dropping my guard... _

"What is it, un?" He probed in skepticism, cocking a thin eyebrow.

She shook her head."I was just wondering what that noise was..."

Deidara liberated a sigh, a mixture of bother and gratification, "That was my art..." He uttered with budding sentiment.

"A-art?"

He nodded and began,"Hn..." Hesitant on the selection of words, they were laced accordingly, "Remember this - art is an ephemeral existence; fleeting and transient before eradication overtakes the true beauty." His eyes flitted harmoniously. "The aesthetics once existing, now gone with nothing but memories to contain the beauty. Within that, har- "

She coughed.

His gaze immediately darted to hers, in surprised resent. _It wasn't like I meant to... _She inwardly sulked. "Well," he wrinkled his nose. "you're a mess, un." She felt a cold breeze brush against her skin at the sudden swerve of conversation. _And it wasn't a good one_.

The Yamanaka squirmed unnervingly, uttering her own bland words. "...Y-yeah, obviously. I've been in this dump for a while now, haven't I?" _I feel like one too..._ Her lips were betraying her. She shouldn't have been speaking to him. She should've been yelling. She should've been protesting. She should've been clamoring. She should've defied his statements. At the very _least_, she should've kept silent. But no. It was rather disgraceful to be so craven when the will of her village would've achieved different.

_"_Perhaps you should get cleaned up, un?"

Her breath stopped short. _Clean up_? _They _were going to let _her clean up_? What kind of imprisonment was this?_ They want something from you, remember_? Came a mental reminder. She drew a shallow breath, before glimpsing at him. "I can do that...?" She queried, smoothing her aubergine skirt out.

"Yeah."

She rendered with hope. "Mrm... shower?" _What are you doing? Are you _nuts?

The blond Akatsuki member studied her and faltered, "Alright. Follow me, un. Be quick though, the leader wants to see you."

The kunoichi felt her stomach constrict, stiffening and tightening at the words. Still, she didn't know what they wanted. They were allowing her to live -at the moment, at the very least- but for what? Ino shook her head; Why did she keep thinking about this without doing anything? Over and over, she thought but never acquired answers. Her head snapped up as Deidara cleared his throat edgily. "Oh," she muttered, scuttling after him. The walls and floor began to transition into tidier, smoother slates as they progressed through the corridor. It piqued her curiosity to compare the differences of where she was a moment ago and where she stood now.

"Here," Deidara gestured to the door. "Towels are provided inside, un." She bowed her head in a nodding gesture before ambling into the tiny room. Gently closing the door from behind, her eyes grasped the essence of the diminutive bathroom. Creamy, vanilla walls were scathed in color by rusty dirt, stains and scratches. The flooring wasn't any better; a flat, white floor was now blanketed by a layer of dust, debris and grazed with scrapes. Her nose wrinkled in revulsion, _It's better than nothing... _

Leisurely, Ino shrugged out of her skirt, stripping her shirt and removing her fishnets. Lastly, she tugged the hair tie out, allowing her tufts and strands to reach freedom and fall over loosely. Not in the best condition, but still soft. Churning the faucet of the bath, she let it run and ascend to her desired depth. Her foot dipped into the lukewarm levels, before she slowly dunked her whole body in. _  
_

The balmy sensation met her skin, tingling it's way across, flushing and refreshing her being. The contortion of muscles and bodily functions soothing itself, curative whilst loosening. Her eyelids slowly descended, as she sunk deeper into the water.

* * *

The girl lurched awake in bewilderment as repetitive clouting reverberated through the door. Perplexity furnished her thoughts as she cast a sweeping gaze around herself. _B-bath? _"Dammit! Yamanaka, what the hell's going on in there, un?" The ruckus continued to plummet into the door. "_Hurry up_!"

"Uhm..." Her dawdling hands rose, Ino staring at her now squelchy, wizened skin. A foray of incredulity smacked her, badly. "I-I..." She managed, clearing her throat. "I'll be out in a bit!" She endeavored. The call was wearily raspy. She had fallen asleep, hadn't she? _God, I'm stupid... _Swallowing the truth, whilst brushing off the pressure of time, her hands spurred into action hastily; purifying, scrubbing, cleansing, lathering... Inundation took place once more, before the drain was quickly released to gutter the remains. Her hand flew out to snatch a towel.

The paranoia skirmished Ino's thoughts. "I-I'll be out in a bit!" She notified with mistrust, for she did not want to feel his annoyance, or rage.

Inside, the movement of fabric and clothes chafing echoed across the atmosphere. A repugnant sigh discharged from Deidara's lips as he stiffly lingered in the area. He was no Sasori, but with his patience came limits. "What the he-" He began but was interfered by rupture of the door swiping open.

Ino blinked her eyes away as she mumbled, "Sorry." Her damp hair decently based into a ponytail radiated a soap-like aroma as her clammy skin pressed to her sides.

_Impudent. _"Whatever, un." He shook his head, leading on forward as they sauntered through the halls once more. Returning to the grimy hallways, Ino shuffled meekly behind, fear and anxiety entangling throughout her nerves. An eruption of horror came about as she entered the large, rocky opening, her eyes being greeted by a devastating colorful hologram. _I-It's... this guy! _The kunoichi could recognize the circular patterns the silver orbs contained.

"Behave," Deidara hissed leading her to the front.

"Yamanaka Ino," His formidable voice approached, the shudders breaking across her skin. "The intent of your presence within our hands is for you to assist Deidara on a mission. He will explain the course and procedure to you later."

_M-mission? _She blinked. _Th-these bastards... Why would I do something like that? _came her mental hiss. _  
_

"A few warnings before you depart, however. Do not defy us, Yamanaka." The apparent leader narrowed his eyes. "You are too weak to oppose the Akatsuki, and attempting to do so may take your life... Additionally, your mission must be a success. If results that differ are concluded... this too will lead to your execution." The blatant warning caused her to lean back. "And it may threaten the lives of those important to you." She froze. _Important... to me? _

"Dismissed." The hologram wavered, before vanishing.

_People important to me... _

_It's not like I did objected before, but I can't now... I have no choice, do I? Shikamaru, Choji, Asuma... Everyone else. What if what he says is true? What if he _does _try to kill them if I do something wrong, or if I don't succeed? _Tears began rushing to the corners of her eyes, but she was able to hide it by keeping her eyes fixed to the floor.

* * *

The blonde shrieked, "W-what are those!" Deidara's eyes flitted to hers as he frowned. The tension that radiated from his statuesque figure was angry with rage.

"These," he held up his hands for a clearer display, revealing the mouths that had just frightened Ino, "are how I create my art." Ino leaned closer to peer at it inquisitively, before she scuttled away in scornful fear.

"They're...kinda scary..." She commented honestly. Afterall, he should know what people thought. He looked at her, that fuming expression spread on his face. Ino watched as hedug his hand into one of the pouches that hung from his belt. Pulling it out, the mouth began to chew as Ino watched carefully. A little time died, and the mouth opened, patruding its tongue out, a white, wet glob on top. She grimaced once more, disgust scrawled disdainfully on her face. Deidara, however, smiled, obviously pleased, and curled his fingers, forming a fist.

He released his fingers, revealing the white clay bird that stood on his palm. The strokes and walls of it were smooth and flawless, abstract holes for eyes carved into the head. His felicitous smile of satisfaction was prominent. Her perceiving orbs roved over it once, before the recognition began to swamp about her. The bird, familiar, was identical to those of which Deidara had transported with - and abducted her with as well.

"Well?" He probed expectantly.

The realization smacked her that he was waiting for her to say something. "Ah," This was not a time to be discussing this. Her friends were _in danger_. "it's... a nice sculpture."

Deidara shut his eyes, absorbing the praise as he sported a delighted smile.

"B-but..." She continued, "it's a little plain... Needs more spark and variety. It needs something to truly intensify the beauty itself..." Ino's pensive thoughts entangled viciously. Some between aspects of art, others between the position she was in, and another about the fact that she was interacting with this _killer_.

The Akatsuki member fixed his eyebrows. "_Plain_? Everything about this sculpture is equal to perfection, un. Not lively? The aspects of this masterpiece add up to something _very _lively, un." He glowered, his eyes turning darker. "Besides," His lips twitched. "you haven't seen the true beauty yet."

"Well, I-I'm a florist; it's just my opini-"

"Watch, un." He cut her words, as he tossed the bird off gently and performed a seal. Within seconds, a large puff of pale smoke submerged the clay sculpture, but once dispersing, she scrutinized the larger bird -the same size of the bird the night before- taking its place. As the kunoichi examined it a little more, the details were so distinct the that one small sculpture - it had to be the same thing.

"The...size doesn't...change mu-" Ino began, but was stopped when Deidara raised his hand, urging her to halt her words. Abruptly, he pulled her onto the large bird, ignoring her loud squeal. The large, statuesque wings spanned open, ascending into the sky.

"Do you still find this _tedious_, un?" He probed haughtily, a crude laugh slipping from his lips.

Ino couldn't scope for her lips. She tremored, the thought of falling off haunting her. The breeze may have been soothing, but it still wasn't enough. Deidara churned his head, her shuddering figure supplying him with a flood of satisfaction.

He smirked, "That feeling of adrenaline...Does this still seem arid to you, un?" He mused, peering at her as a wicked smile twisted on his lips.

Ino glimpsed at him, "I'm... not sure."

His eyes flickered maliciously. _Surely she's not artistic..._ The degrading shadow of his eye pierced briefly, before he turned away with a brisk grunt.

Ino stole this chance to ask, "...Well, what is this mission?"

"What?"

Her cornsilk eyebrow instinctively cocked, as she valiantly repeated, "What's this mission?"

"Oh, right, un." He wasn't fond of the sudden swerve of conversation, but proceeded to speak nevertheless. "Well, you're a Yamanaka, someone who uses jutsus that affect the mind, un. Recently, there have been a few people who have...information that would help us with... our objective." He nodded, pensively. "Our mission is to go retrieve the rest and learn how much they know, before killing them. So far, we have one out of four, un. Quite simple, really."

A lump bunched in her throat, but she forced herself to speak. "And where do I come to play here...?" Her eyebrows furrowed, a provoked impatience touching her words. _  
_

_Touchy now, are we? _Deidara exuded a sigh. "You really don't get it? We're trying to gather their information, un. The leader can also use telepathy, however, he's paralyzed from using it, at the moment." The blond's shoulders rolled into a nonchalant shrug. Little did he know how his words strangulated the girl behind.

The contortion was cruel and deleterious as she swallowed the words. Her breathing climaxed, speedy as the air whiffed heavily around her. "I-I..." She managed, but her senses throbbed and all she was capable of doing was reach for her breath.

_Telepathy... _

So her purpose was to read someone's mind. The Akatsuki's leader was disabled from doing a task, and now they were using her as their tool. _How oblivious of them... They got their info wrong about my clan... _A solicitous, light laugh fusilladed from her quivering mouth as she shadily hid behind her lengthy bangs. _Not all of us are capable. _

He eyed her, bewildered by her echoing response. "Do you... understand, un?" He inquired curtly.

_Yeah... yeah, I do. _

"Well?" Her head lifted as she confronted his impatient frown.

_Keep your mouth shut, Ino! Don't tell him that you can't! _"Uh, yeah..." She croaked.

Deidara arched a golden eyebrow, but dropped it. Ino opened her mouth, vacillating, but proceeded. "W-what exactly... happened to...your leader?"

He himself hesitated. "Sasori no Danna told me that he sometimes he uses his chakra in a strange way for too long; it damages his chakra system, un. It happens quite often, in fact. Nothing too serious. He's still able to perform jutsus, but nothing too excessive, so he can't use..." _Human path, was it?_ His lower lip curved just the slightest bit, contemplative. _I shouldn't reveal this information._ "A phase that holds the ability to read minds, I'm sure. His chakra system will recover in a little while, un, but it's best if we get our information now."

_"_Oh."

_

* * *

_

The reticent silent that dawned on them was eerie, and Deidara labeled it as a peculiar atmosphere. He could take her bitchiness, he could take her hostility, he could take the provoking edginess and timidity, but the silence was too atypical for someone like him. At least, without his art too distract him, he was simply fumbling with the awkward emptiness whilst a prisoner sat behind him.

"Hm, you're awfully quiet, un." He chuckled.

The airborne nausea had set in, and she had adapted to the chilling heights of their flying. The haunting thoughts of falling somehow still besieged her at times, but as a notion, it was well enough for her to handle. "What, I can't shut up...?" She mumbled; her thoughts were occupied by a different matter that he was oblivious to.

_Ah, so the attitude, huh? _A devilish grin tugged on his lips. "Don't let your bravery get ahead of you; I'm still willing to crush you, un." He said with a cruel laugh.

Ino swallowed. _Bravery? Is that what you think this is? _Her throat cleared as words mustered from her delicate lips. "I haven't forgotten." She murmured.

His eyebrow quirked. "Is something distracting you, un?" A simper plastered his face. "Perhaps you shouldn't let this bring you down, as you don't want anything to happen if you screw up, hn?"

"_Shut up." _The growl was low, deep, but filled with malice.

"Remember who you're talking to," His eyes narrowed. "I don't care what the hell happens to you, so don't push your limits, un."

_This_ was yet another thing that chilled her to the bone. The kunoichi silently obliged, for the potential affliction wasn't worth it. Much to his surprise, she did, in fact hush herself up quite well. Ironic, it was though.

_If they find out... what'll happen? I'll die, I know. But... Shika? Choji? Dad? Mum? Oh my god, would they make Dad do this too? If I wouldn't be able to... they'd try something else, wouldn't they? Unless they're leader... - Geez, what if they _do _use Dad though...? He's... the leader after all. And he's capable of doing this. But with the machines and all, it wouldn't work and- but what about _me_, what's gonna happen, and-and! _

"We're landing. It's dark out, so we should get some rest, un."

* * *

"Alright, let's settle here, un." Deidara worded.

Her eyes cast a sweeping gaze of the land and surroundings, the dark sky shadowing the mossy grass. "Here?"

"Where else?"

She repressed a grimace, but it didn't seem to be a success. It wasn't something she had adapted to - going on a mission, prepared -sorta-, but sleeping on the ground? Things had been worse before, but her comfort laid in the use of tents and shelter. The fact that this _Akatsuki _member would be vulnerable wouldn't repel danger either. "Yeah, alright..." The reluctance woven with her words were prominent, but he chose to disregard it.

Ino selected a tree, one that was thick and would support her figure as a whole. She set her body against it, pulling her knees to her chest as she hugged them, demanding all the warmth she could rally. The rough, textured bark of the tree bit into her skin coldly, but her lips pressed together. No complaints. She'd need all the sleep she could gather, if this would be anything near a success.

* * *

"Kch!" Deidara muttered, provoked by the ferocious wind that scattered and roared past them. In such conditions, sleep was a difficult thing to achieve. Forcefully, his eyes shut as he leaned back against the rough tree, but was soon disrupted by a _thud_. And he knew where it came from. Peering over, he glimpsed at the suspect. Her sunny hair, tinted a darkening silver by the moon, swept iniquitously over her full, yet angular, cheeks. She would wince and murmur at times by random sort, but her eyelids would never open.

Ino tossed, stirred and spoke. Troubled. Anxious. Worried.

And Deidara wondered. Did she learn to realize how dangerous the Akatsuki were?

* * *

_A/N:__ Not a very compelling ending, in my opinion, but I'm hoping the next chapter  
will turn out better. :3_

_Thanks for reading! Review please. xoxo.  
_


	5. Sensitive

**Chapter 5: Sensitive**

_Warnings_:_  
_

_A/N: Good day to you! I ran into a few complications with this chapter, so hopefully they'll  
be sorted out in the future if these chapters ever need any tweaking. _

_Enjoy!  
_

**

* * *

**

Ino's cerulean eyes flitted open hastily, gradually escaping her malicious dream as it fogged in her mind. _Where am I? _She ruminated inwardly, her eyes scanning against the area; trees, blades of grass and specks of pebbles. _Am I- _Her eyes perceived the Akatsuki cloak and her heart dropped. _Oh my God, I'm... I'm with the Akatsuki._ Her memory began to flood back -the abduction, the rooms, the flying-, rendering Ino rigid as she emptily stared ahead. _I can't believe this... _

Deidara whipped his head around. "Awake, un?"

She glowered warily at him, "Yeah." The muttering hung blankly. _  
_

His lips twitched at her grave response, disapproving of her suggestive overpowering response. "Don't be so crabby, un. I warned you yesterday already."

Cautioning shudders bolted down her spine. "I know," she swallowed. _Just cooperate for now... Don't get on his bad side and get yourself killed! _She had made it this far with the same thought, so why not continue on? "I'll... listen."

His skeptical eyes studied her for a moment before he turned away. "Good,"

She eyed him suspiciously, "Is that... your clay?"

An expression of surprise flickered on his face before he turned to glance at her. "Mm, yeah." He murmured, hands uncurling to reveal a snowy critter. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Ino's lips pursed dubiously; is _this _what the maniac did in his free time? Sculpt with his deformed hands? She refused to believe it - there was _something _treacherous about it. An Akatsuki wasn't just a regular person... He had to have some unique, deadly skill behind it, if this was what he did.

"Yeah," She uttered dryly.

Deidara darted her a sharp look. _Shitty attitude, huh? _"Real art, though..." He lifted his chin, a haughty grin curling past his lips. "is a quick moment of beauty; lively and fleeting. One moment invigorated, the next perished," he mused. "Tru-"

"You told me already." She snapped.

He scowled, "Shut up, un," _You'll listen? Really, hm? You seem rather spiteful to me, _"You've never seen what I'm trying to explain before, un." A sly simper played on his face. His gaze dropped to his fingers, stroking the texture of the bird's skin. "Art," he crooned, the clay bird launched off his hand abruptly, in a blur. "is the beauty of an _explosion_, un!" In an instant, the bird blasted into a rocketing force of power, engulfed in heat and shady smoke as it quivered against the sky, the force bursting at her as she screeched.

_Th-this guy! He's an insane killer! I knew it! _The thought blared against her mind as she balled herself protectively. And a moment later, it was over.

Ino panted for the air. "Wh-what?" She squealed.

"_Art_, un."

Her lips pressed together, suppressing the impulse to yell and even worse, _cry_. She was _scared_. And confused..._ I'm a kunoichi. I _can't _be afraid... "_Oh," she murmured, ducking her face to stare at the ground._ "_Yeah, cool."

He peered at her inquiringly - was this all there was to her? "Well," he cleared his throat. "We might as well get this over with, un. We should leave now."

* * *

"C-can we take a break...? I feel...a little sick..." Ino called as they maneuvered on yet, _another _bird.

How aggravating. "...Fine, un." The bird began to lower, gently diving down and as they were mere feet off the ground, leaped off. Both began to seek out a good place to rest; Ino sat against a grey boulder while Deidara sat on the grass...forming something else? His fingers curved over his palm again and as they opened up, she noticed he had made...a spider?

"You know..." She began, "If you took more time to work on your sculptures, they'd look better."

"It's already perfect, so that's not possible, un."

"Well...you just do it so quickly...and it's nice, _sorta_, but think about what it can become if you worked on it even longer..."

"I just said it's perfect, un." Deidara narrowed his eyes and the spider launched off his palm, crawling to Ino. She quickly noticed and tensed up, immediately leaning back. The clay spider stalked towards her, threateningly shuffling its thin legs.

Slowly, it stalked and climbed up the skin of her thighs, sending bolting chills down her spend. "H-h-h-_ey_! St-stop it...!"

The sculpture continued trailing up her body as she watched it fearfully. What was she more scared of? The fact that a giant 'spider' was crawling on her, or that it could explode on her with a single use of chakra? Both, maybe?

It was going to explode, wasn't it? _Don't, don't, don't! _The spider launched off the end of her shoulder, causing her to shriek from it's abrupt movement, before it detonated behind her, the fiery force slapping her face. A chuckle caused her to snap her head up. "My, you're quite sensitive, un."

Sensitive? Ino felt her cheeks burn with a heated discoloration. "I am _not_."

"You're cheeks are red...?" He sniggered, ducking his head at her sharp glare.

Ino gritted her teeth, angry now. "Sh-shut up!"

Deidara grinned haughtily, the amusement present on his lips. Did this girl have any more surprises that could entertain him?

* * *

"Here's the first one, un." Deidara said, as he tossed the stout body onto the bird as it landed with a lifeless _whop_.

Just glimpsing at the diabolical damage that was given to the unlucky man was enough to make Ino shudder and hug herself.

Deidara had already hopped back onto the clay bird as Ino glared at him, before glancing at the unconscious body once more. So one victim was caught... Did that mean she would have to...carry out her purpose? Or wait till the others were confined as well? _When will it happen? _She thought as her body went rigid. _What will happen_? _Death or injury?_ Her breathing increased. _Why me? _It had felt like all her connections with just about _anything_ meant nothing at all.

"You don't look well, un."

Ino nodded weakly, averting her gaze with a whip of her neck. "I'm fine." She mustered weakly.

"You're a terrible liar."

"No, really, I'm fine." _Just ignore me, please.  
_

"You think I'm that dumb, un?"

_Enough! _The Yamanaka's lips pressed into a thin line as the silence began to roll in.

"Might as well tell me already; Whatever it is you're hiding, I'll find out soon for sure, un." He chortled maliciously and she could see it all - confidence, power and heartless. A wicked smile toyed on his lips and she felt her lips curl into a snarl. _What a _jerk_. _

"Get off my back already." She snapped, the fury radiating from her words.

He laughed, eager to hear her next answer. "Is that the best you can do, un?" He challenged as he caught sight of her tight fists and clenched teeth; They made him smile smugly, the amusement beginning to soak back. He awaited for her answer, but she just sat there, wordless. A few minutes passed and much to his disappointment, she had recomposed herself calmly and stifling her provocation.

Ino could feel Deidara stare at her, and it made the discomfort begin to flood her insides. Would he figure it out...? _  
_

"Is there something troubling you?" He asked suddenly, grave. But she knew he was containing his curiosity.

"Nothing is wro-"

"No - There's something wrong, un."

Bickering was ridiculous. It wasn't something that she was going to start again. "Forget it. Please."

"That's not something I'm gonna do, un." He sighed. "Listen, if this is serious, then you better speak up now."

Ino lifted her head and gawked at him. "No, it's... nothing."

"Huh, I guess if that's what you want, un. Well, whatever it is, don't let it mess up your effort and performance, okay?"

"Y-yeah. I won't screw up."

* * *

Ino squinted; the sun had began to set and it was hard for her to see past the bright rays. She shifted her body so that it was facing Deidara, who seemed to be enjoying the sunset. He had been quiet for the last few hours, probably in her refusal to expose her problems to him. _Cause it involves _you_, ass. _She dropped her gaze. It wouldn't be so bad, would it? The day of her death, that is. Maybe many people would be upset when they heard about it...Sad, avenging, angry, guilty...all those feelings for her. Sadly, when she died, she would not be able to witness this emotion. Or maybe...they wouldn't even care? _No, I'm jumping to conclusions. Of course everyone likes you. They all miss you. They're searching for you right now!_

"Yamanaka, un," Her head automatically lifted to face him. Honestly, the kunoichi didn't like it when he called her 'Yamanaka'. He was calling her Ino a little while ago, but the name _Yamanaka_ was unbearable.

"Ino." She corrected stiffly.

He shook his head, nonchalantly. "Yeah, _Ino_, un. What's your view on art?"_  
_

"Art...?" Her eyes wandered around, pondering. "Well...I don't...really have one..." She admitted sheepishly, vacillating on whether that _was _the right thing to say. He was insane about art, from what she knew. _Should _she have liked art? Was arranging flowers art? Or was it just... _gardening_?

He frowned. "You _should_ have an approach on art."

She dropped her gaze once again. "Well I..._don't_." She pressed dismissively, jerking her head away adamantly.

_Still being so snotty, aren't you..._"Then think about it sometime, un." He muttered.

She nodded her head -hopefully he'd shut up then- weakly before setting her chin on her arms.

* * *

The crickets were chirping which just made the thought of sleeping even more impossible. How was she supposed to know whether an insect or something crawled on her? Wasn't that what tents were for? Currently, sleeping was controversial. She could go to sleep and let horrid visuals haunt her, or she could stay up late and constantly think about her situation. Was she overreacting? ..._No...I don't think so... _Ino let out a heavy sigh and hugged her knees to her chest.

* * *

Deidara smirked as the male shinobi turned around with a loud grunt, before detonating from one of the blonde Akatsuki member's latest creations. "Hmm, you should be grateful that you died in such an artistic way, un." He murmured. Deidara walked away; that was probably the last of the shinobi to notice his presence. He headed in the direction where he had left Ino, who was no doubt sulking for whatever dumb reason she had. You'd think that she was used to her current position at the moment. After taking another turn, he caught sight of her pale, blonde ponytail behind the tree and soon sauntered towards her.

Her knees were pulled to her body, while folded arms that shielded her face rested on them. Her body was leaned forward, allowing her head to hide in her arms much more easily. He bent down at her side and examined her. Was she unconscious? Probably not; there would be no reasonable explanation as to why anyway. Was she sleeping? It was hard to tell when her face was covered by her folded arms. It didn't seem likely; an odd position to be sleeping in. Maybe he should nudge her, just to make sure. As soon as he placed his hand on her shoulder, he was completely taken back when she yelped. Ino had changed her posture almost immediately, almost standing as she took in large, deep breaths.

"You scared me!" She squealed, an expression of accusation scrawling onto her features.

He frowned at her. "I was only checking up on you, un - It looked like there was something wrong."

She blinked before relaxing herself. "I was only thinking about _stuff_, nothing too big." She mused, nonchalance coating her words.

"Plotting an escape, un?" He asked with a snicker. It had been quite stupid to leave her behind and expect her to stay... But she was idiotic enough to remain in the same area, her chance slipping out of her grasp from being oblivious; so it wasn't just him who had done something dumb.

"_What_? No!" She yelled defensively, as Deidara failed to fight the urge to laugh. Her sudden and abrupt attitude switches were definitely something. She glowered at him, "...Stop laughing at me..." The muttering was weak as the kunoichi ducked her face.

Deidara's chuckles did decrease as he strolled to a tree that stood many meters across from her. After setting himself against it, he glanced around the dim forest. Not much was seen, considering that the moon was the only source of light. He scanned around some more, but his eyes laid on the Yamanaka in the end.

She slowly fell into a deep sleep, lightly snoring. He examined her face intently. It was, again, troubled and...worried. She lightly whimpered as her face began to scrunch up, her smooth forehead crinkling with even more concern...but then, slowly, her face loosened, returning to a relaxed state. This only lasted for a short moment; her expression did not go back to troubled, but instead angry. Her teeth clenched and her whole body went rigid as she growled inaudibly, the sound muffled in drone from the sleep. The reaction that she unknowingly gained was a chortle from Deidara.

Deidara took his gaze off of her, suppressing the impulse to turn back to her. He sighed in defeat to his mental thoughts; she was interesting.

How could..._ she_, a mere innocent girl with no artistic taste, be fascinating to _him_, an amazing artist and...her future murderer.

* * *

_A/N:_ _I was pleased with how the last sentence came out, in some aspect. :D  
Also, a question for you guys:_

_Are my paragraphs alright? I've noticed that many people have fics flooding with paragraphs, but mine seems rather  
a mix between lines and paras. I just want to avoid putting dialogue from separate people in one para as that tends to annoy me.  
Thanks a lot though for giving me feedback! _

_Reviews = xoxo.  
_


	6. Cherubic Purity

**Chapter 6: Cherubic Purity  
**

_Warnings_; N/A_  
_

_A/N: Hello guys! How've you all been?  
Enjoy the latest chapter!_

* * *

The sunlight scorched against her eyes, chafing the lids and _demanding _that they open. The reluctance visible, Ino wearily flitted them, the first thing in sight being a peachy, golden sky with cotton clouds lingering amongst it. The Sun was setting? She had been sleeping for _that _long? She recoiled from the tree bark, flexing and yawning before rising to sweep off the dust from her skirt. _I've been wearing the same thing for the past few days. _A grimace screwed onto her lips as the thought swamped around her disdainfully.

To her surprise, Deidara was nowhere in sight and she couldn't help but draw a shrill breath - _this was her chance_. The invigorating thought gave her a sudden surge of valiance that carried her legs past the trees cautiously. She eagerly skirted around the shrubs and plants, trees and everything else in her way as an obstacle.

"You seem quite spirited today, un." A voice suddenly called and she flinched with an inward hiss.

Whirling against her heel, a feigned shrug rolled her shoulders. "Not really." She managed with a cough.

Deidara was propped against a boulder nonchalantly, probably toying with his clay or something along those lines. He gave her a suspicious arch of an eyebrow which made her swallow nervously but he seemed to have dismissed it.

"Huh, right."

But he was right on being more spirited, in some aspect. She felt _exhilarated _in some form - probably from her sleep. It hadn't been nightmares of horror, but more so _dramatic_. Dreams that she used to have when she was back in Konoha. _When life was normal... _But she wouldn't let this feeling slip pass, she'd use it to her advantage and make sure nothing broke down of what could become of a cheerier mood.

"That's weird, un." He murmured, eyes perceiving the sculpted creature in his hands.

She hesitantly stepped towards him, inquisitively peering and asking, "What are you making?"

Deidara glanced at her dubiously, pressing his lips together as he analyzed. "You're different today, un." The blond stated, ignoring her question.

"Yeah? How's that?" Her lips pursed whilst her cornsilk eyebrows knitted as she smoothly took a seat on a nearby log.

"Different mood. I guess you're finally cooperating and behaving, un. Or at least not barking like a dog anymore." A sly grin quirked his lips as he raised a knowing eyebrow.

She scoffed and growled, flaring her nostrils and darting her sharp eyes in his direction; there was too much on her mind to be defying the Akatsuki like she had the other day, and she was being _rational _about it. "Yeah, sure." She snorted, rolling her eyes to stifle the wanting to pounce and claw at him.

"Anyways, for today, we'll be heading to one of the bases, un. But before that, we need to capture another captive."

The words manifested a churn in her stomach, the dread subduing her spark of vivaciousness. "Oh," She murmured, before hopping onto another topic. "The Akatsuki's different from what I imagined."

A frowned twisted onto his mouth at her comment - she shouldn't have been perceiving any information about the Akatsuki. "What were you expecting, exactly?"

"A bunch of crazy old men." She muttered. "I expected for you guys to be more sketchy with your bases - like, scary stuff."

He exploded into laughter at her the end of her sentence as Ino flushed uneasily. "Skulls? Chains? Is that the type of stuff, un?"

"Whatever."

"Old men, huh? That's a little controversial, un."

She peered at him inquisitively. "How old are you, exactly?" In the short moment she had, the kunoichi studied his facial features carefully; more than just registering his face - _inspecting. _His powder azure eyes were sharp, but the boyish, young tinge was hidden in their intensity. His contours were defined quite well - moderately angular, fit and smooth. His lips were fair, teeth quite burnish and she could just _imagine _the sneerful smile she had seen oh so many times. Young, she could assemble that from his face. Quite handsome, even.

"Why do you need to know, un?" He sneered, a smirk of amusement tugging on the edges of his lips as he turned away. "Nineteen." Deidara's lips murmured, eyes fixed onto his kneadng hands. _Really, she can't learn too much about us... If it leaks out, I'm to be blamed. _"And you better not be a child; the last thing I need is an immature idiot on my back, un."

The kunoichi cursed under her breath and scowled before growling, "I'm sixteen, you a-"

"And I thought you knew by now not to push your limits, un; I've warned you already..." The phrase trailed off but she knew he was about to make a threat. He was _taunting_ her, and implying that her threat would be a _surprise_? A chuckle emitted from his lips as she sunk into her seat with uneasy fury. _She's sixteen...?_

A clay snake swiveled from his hands and onto the grassy earth, creating an oblivious shudder to Ino. He noticed this, restraining a laugh as the snake began to squirm its way towards her. "Wh-what are you...? _Oh my God_, stop!" She screeched, a prominent flare of anger and trepidation intertwined with her voice. Ino leaned back, baring her teeth as she whipped her head to face Deidara. "I-I'm _serious_..."

"Don't lean back too much or you'll fall off."

"Get that thing away from me!"

The blond Akatsuki snorted, a small laugh radiating from his mouth as the snake veered and skimmed into the deep woods. "It wasn't meant for you, un."

"Then...? What the _hell _was _that_?"

"Tch, I was simply experimenting. There's no need to get touchy, un." A wicked glint crossed his eye, she saw and averted her gaze as the rosy burn returned to her cheeks. Her lips pursed as she stole a glance of him; once again, of course, his eyes were screwed onto his working hands, the zeal strong and passionate in them. Her body turned to face him as she stared, maybe a little awe lingered in the back of her head, though she'd never come to admit it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her eyes were no longer sharp - in fact, the opposite. Softer than he had seen yet. Ino had always been quite crabby and adamant since day one - it was interesting to see that she had buttered up a bit. She darted him a glare as she realized he noticed, and he contained a chuckle. _Or at least she was nicer for a short moment_. He knew she was only this acidic to _him; _he was her 'enemy' after all. Perhaps she was feisty with spunk naturally, but he could tell she wasn't bitter and _animus_ towards her actual peers. She was _forcing _it on him.

"_Ow_!" She yelped abruptly, flinching and recoiling her hand instantly. "What was _that_? Did you just _bite _me?" The Yamanaka gaped incredulously at the male.

"Just seeing if you were okay, un." He snickered mischievously, leaving Ino flustered as she muttered unintelligibly.

"You _bit _me! Or at least your _hand _did."

He shrugged. "I never said I didn't, un."

The kunoichi's thin lips twitched unnervingly but she was alarmed by his sudden strange composure of expression. "Is there... something wrong?" She breathed, almost fearful to hear the answer as she peered at him with inquisitive eyes.

"Shh, there's someone coming..." He murmured before rising. "Get up now, un." A command.

Ino remained in her position, narrowing her eyes as her lips spurred into action. "Wait a seco-"

"_Get up_." He growled.

"But wh-" She was cut off once again, but not by words this time. Deidara had snatched her wrist within his hands and jerked her upward roughly, before both soared through the woods, the trees blurring past the pair. They launched quicker than she was used to and she could feel the pain began to break through where Deidara's clasping hand held on.

"Y-you're _hurting_ me!" She screeched with defiance, her fumbling legs scurrying to balance their speed out.

"Shut up!" He ordered with what she could tell was frustration, tightening his grip around her wrist in which she gasped at.

A wail was released as she jerked her wrist, attempting to break the lock. "_Let go!_"

"You won't be able to catch up with me if I let go, un."

She shot him a glare as her lips shouted, "_Who cares!_" Another unsuccessful yank. "Y-y-you _bastard_!" She screeched as Deidara scowled. What a thoughtless fool; she obviously had no idea how lucky she was. Normally, he would've blew them up if they had pissed him off. _Whatever, Pein says I can kill her after all of this is over_... And he would _enjoy _it. He _had _to enjoy it...

_Shit_! The thought blared in a blur within his head as he struggled to lug her downwards past the trees. The glint of the kunai from behind whizzed past from where they just were as Ino sucked in a shallow breath.

"What the hell?" She shot at him, tugging at her hand once again. He tightened his grasp once more, receiving a wince from the girl as her resistance began to deteriorate, the protesting momentum in her eyes now being eradicated by his own hard orbs.

"You're pathetic, you know that, un! The shuriken were headed towards us!" Deidara retorted rapidly, eyebrows binding as his strong hand released her limp wrist acridly. Her hand drew back to her side, flexing and weak, gaze locked onto it as an unreadable expression slid past her face. Ino had to admit inwardly, she was taken back by his venomous rage. As she prepared her eyes for what could be decimating anger, her neck twisted to capture the sight of his figure sauntering away. Her legs tottered after but he churned and darted her a forbidding eye.

"No, don't come after me, un. Stay here, and _don't _get yourself involved in a fight."

The words pooled into her ears, and she wasn't sure in what way it seemed. Deidara would be gone, nowhere to annoy her. But did she really want to be left alone, unprotected, _vulnerable_? The thought felt brunt and she opened her lips to protest, only to see that he had already left.

The rasp and howl of blades and kunais clashing in a fracas echoed past the sky and Ino felt quivers under her skin. Frantically, her eyes scoped for an area to hide in safety that was worthy enough. She forced herself into the depths of a scathing, bushy, concealing every portion of her skin.

_Bang_! The instantaneous rupture nipped a flinch out of her. Deidara was probably enjoying himself with his explosives.

Cries of ninja tools colliding shrilly clinked past the waves of air as the kunoichi felt her skin strain from the clench of her fists. The euphoria of safety was nowhere in sight. _Unless... it's Konoha! Was _it them? Had they finally come to rescue her? Under her chest, a rapid drumming of her heart fluttered hopeful sensations across her body. _Please... _

Suddenly, a kunai sharply shot before her, mere inches away as she gaped at the tool with shapeless shock. And then her instinct was to run. Ino hastily squirmed her figure from the bush before breaking into a tight, panicked sprint. _Run, run, run! _The thought screamed inwardly, and she felt the beads of sweat muster against her temples. Nearing thuds of footsteps echoed between the walls of her ears. Just to see who, who was ominously dominating in the quarry, she craned her neck.

And gasped as vermilion blood sputtered from her skin.

* * *

_Foolish bastards_. A haughty smirk painted Deidara's thin lips as he faced the five Takigakure shinobi who held grave, perilous expressions. In the single moment of silence, all six people triggered into action at once. Hands flying forward, his face twisted into a vile, sinister grin. "_Katsu_!" The word echoed past the breeze as a fiery explosion eradicated past the Taki-nin. As expected, the pounced past the destruction and readied themselves to strike.

"Useless surprise attacks are always the lamest, un...!" The taunt emitted from his lips as he turned quickly to face the lone shinobi who had launched himself at Deidara from behind. A cocky smirk quirked his lips as he launched out of the way, leaving a detonating sculpture in his place. An agonized cry was heard along with the blast as he prepared for the remaining four.

"You _sick _monster!" One young male spat venomously, eyes narrowing as he gave a passing glance to the spot his fallen teammate just was. "To be so evil and destructive... How could you live with this lifestyle...!"

Deidara passively rolled his eyes with a scoff. "I don't need to hear this again, seriously... Spare me the lecture," He droned with a slack jaw. "You assholes need to know that I won't change the way I am, un; this is what my technique is best at, and I can't deny that artistry."

"What the hell is he talking about?" The woman clamored scornfully and he grinned in response - this always happened, and it always ended in the same way.

Raising a seal, he released a grunt before a large detonation roared behind the opposing shinobi. A kunai shattered past him and Deidara dropped his weight into a duck before balling his hand into a fist and plummeting it into the abdomen of the man that flickered in front of him. Activating more of the endless clay critters, three more were killed. One remained, limp and weak.

A snicker radiated past the blond's lips and he could feel the wary eyes glower at him lethally. The tedium was beginning to soak in and he felt his lips drop into a loose line. "Guess we should get this over with now, un. You're no fun to experiment on."_ After this, I'll return to Ino and check up on her. _

_"What_! You bastard! Do you wan-"

_Bang_!

And he was dead. "You should be pleased to die in such an artistic way," The sly comment was followed by short laughter before he turned.

Erupting the chakra to the soles of his feet, he lurched back and began his short search for Ino.

* * *

Heavy, needy pants escaped her lips wearily as she crouched over, palms supporting against her knees. A shinobi -she didn't know who, only from Takigakure- had attacked her for no particular reason. It was a hell of a battle, truth be told, but she had managed to do _something_. A body of scarlet blood lay in front of her, drawing a gory, repelling image. He wasn't dead; she didn't _have _the skill to do that, but he was unconscious. _Shintenshin really works wonders... _However, if the bleeding continued... he would definitely die from blood loss. _  
_

The silence was but a lullaby. No running footsteps, no kunai clashing, no explosions... Her heart stopped instantly at the thought. _H-he's alright... H-he's probably coming back! _The thought protruded past her head and she could feel the tingles creeping against her skin. No Deidara meant no protection. And if he had been defeated... that meant whoever had attacked them was still out there... She swallowed unwillingly, her throat parched. _No... He's an Akatsuki! He _has _to be alive. _The thought was enough motivation to push her hands into wiping the blood from her skin, clothes and body.

_Stay here, and _don't _get yourself involved in a fight_.

Ino needed to hide any evidence from the 'fight' for when he returned -_if _he returned-. She could've escaped, or tried to at the moment. But was it even worth the gamble of being caught by whoever was lurking past the forest? Her eyes glimpsed back to the bloody man as a shaky grimace appeared against her mouth. Instantly, the Yamanaka's legs assisted in relocating her. Anywhere to seem safe and innocent. Where Deidara wouldn't realize. Though she was skeptical on success.

Upon arriving at a clean, moderately near opening, she collapsed onto her side with a pained grunt by a reflecting pond. Her lips gasped for air, craving them as the cuts on her side reacted violently. Her hand instantly flew to her waist, emitting the chakra needed to heal the wounds. _Deidara... where is he_?

Footsteps meeting the ground with a thud directly from behind her caused her to flinch to her feet with an overwhelming yelp. _Oh my God! Is that... the attacker? _The quivers snaked to her knees as she daringly turned to see who.

"_Deidara_!" She breathed loudly, jumping and throwing her arms around his neck. He blinked and stumbled back from the sudden, unforeseen weight of her _against _him. The shock was scrawled against his face. _Why the hell is she...? _And it was the first time she'd said his name aloud.

She noticed his stiff, rigid posture and quickly withdrew her arms with an averted gaze, hoping he didn't get the _wrong _impression that it was an _affectionate _gesture. It was merely giddy relief of being _safe _at the sight of him being alive and there, ironically. Giddy relief that suddenly took control of her body, was all. "Um, _sorry_..." Ino murmured forcefully, the embarrassment rising to paint her cheeks in a pastel shade of red.

"No longer enraged, I see." He muttered before he disregarded the aspect and eyed her vigilantly. _No injuries, it seems. _"This is a different area I left you at, un. Were you...?"

"_No_, I wasn't trying to escape." She rolled her eyes with a small pout before turning to face him once more. "Are you... um, hurt?" The kunoichi probed as her eyes flitted past his figure, surprised to see that he displayed no sign of injury.

"No, un." Deidara responded slowly. "You_'_re... _concerned_...?" He raised a dubious eyebrow and she felt a wave of regret from her actions; perhaps sealing her lips was better. It wasn't worth the awkward approaches.

"_Wha_- ah... just wondering is all." She muttered, whipping her head away once more, though she did steal a glance to see that his lips twitched quizzically, almost in a sly smile. "Who... who was it?" _Konoha...? _

_"_Shinobi from Takigakure. Artless idiots, un."

Ino cringed at the thoughts that flooded her head into a sea. Each passing wasn't better than the next, and she felt even more awkward idly standing there without a word to utter amongst the river of mental compilation. _Takigakure_... _Those shinobi that attacked us... _died. Was she going to be next? Midway past through the baleful cogitation, she realized she was mindlessly standing there like a dense pole, fumbling with her hands whilst Deidara eyed her with bewilderment.

"I... uhm, I'm tired." She tried the excuse, making sure to avoid his gaze as she turned against her heel and ambled back to the pond. Upon settling herself on the earthy floor -something she had learned to grasp, reluctantly- a prickling stab funneled against her neck and she hissed at the tugging sensation. An injury she forgot to heal.

Before the phrase was even diffused, she could already hear the suspicion that was ready to come. "Something wrong, un?"

"N-no," She wheezed.

"...We can rest now, if that's the problem, un."

Her lips vacillated, but they were able to part and speak, "Yeah, that'd be great."

"Tomorrow, though, we'll need to finish our mission, un." Deidara paused before continuing. "We didn't get far today, if anywhere at all, so we'll have to do a lot tomorrow."

Ino's eyes flickered to the side, praying that he wasn't nearing her at all. She sighed, a sigh filled with exhaustion, dread and what could be seen as submission. _It's never going to end_. She'd be there, involuntarily chained to the Akatsuki until their _mission _had been fulfilled. And at that point would her agonizing killing commence. The coherent, crisp thought sent a clutching squeeze to her heart and she could feel the tears began to ascend beneath her eyes. For the whole time there, since the whole mess had begun, she hadn't even cried. She'd held them in long enough. But holding something in that wasn't meant to be contained would only result in the strongest burst.

Her nails, which clung to her thighs, drilled into her skin unnervingly, pearly teeth digging into her lower lip. Ino felt a flare of fear ember inside of her, a wave of self-anger following after.

"...Ino, you don't seem very well, un." Lips began to waver as she thought pass the possibility that... he was _concerned _for her?

"Don't worry," She rasped weakly, a fake assuring chuckle tumbling from her mouth. "I'm okay." Little did she realize this was _not_ the right response; _laughing_? To _Deidara_? Never! God, she probably just blew it.

Immediately her shoulders squared stiffly at the sound of vigilant footsteps marking their way towards her. "I'm fine!" She chirped, alerted. The thuds stopped and she held back the instinct to sigh in relief.

In the striking moment, the kunoichi was finally able to lucidly realize how... _fortunate_ she was. Lucky to have been paired with Deidara. He was without a doubt, annoying, a jackass, cruel and insane, but at the very least, he had a _personality_ - charisma. And chances were with her; she could have been plunked with a dark, grave Akatsuki member that was _serious _when it came to the concept of killing her. Course, Ino wasn't familiar with any of the other S-rankers and what they were like, not that she really wanted to either. Deidara himself was ruthless, but he spared her _mercy_. And for that, admittedly, she was grateful. Glad it was Deidara she was tethered to.

"Just... give me a small while to rest."

"_You _weren't the one fighting..." She heard him grumble bitterly beneath his breath.

She heard the footsteps retreat slowly and felt a flutter of tranquility flit past her. For now, she could relax. Ino glanced into the crystal, light depths of the pond, her reflection wavering from the surface of the liquid. Soft, silky blond hair, deep blue eyes... Only _then _did she realized that Deidara held many similarities to her own appearance. She could've laughed or fumed at the time, if not for the somber atmosphere that had suddenly dwelt. Still, it was an aspect worthy of note, something she should've realized earlier.

Her index finger dipped into the surface, breaking past to create intricate, circular patterns that echoed within the next. "Deidara..." Ino called, eyes flickering to meet his figure. There was a part of her, as much as she was anticipating a response, that hoped he had not heard her.

"Yeah?"

"J-just wondering, but, why are you in the Akatsuki?" Her throat cleared with a light rumble as she proceeded to elaborate. His eyes warily roved past her. "I mean, why are you _involved _with the Akatsuki if you... well, can use the time to work on... your art?" The question was merely a curiosity, but she hadn't intended for it to sound so solicitous and considerate. He seemed to have hesitated. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," She pressed stiffly. "I did say I was just wondering."

"Heh," He chuckled after a moment of delay. "Really, I didn't join this organization on my own will. Rather the opposite, in fact, un."

This piqued her interest and she found herself watching him eccentrically. "Then why are you... _open _with carrying out your objectives?"

"I was forced into this establishment as a missing-nin already. But I warmed up to the idea of working in the Akatsuki because of art." A small grin plastered onto his face as he continued on. "True, I _can _use this time to fashion more of my masterpieces, but in this organization, I can _use _them freely, un."

Ino swallowed, "Y-you mean to... kill, right?"

"Explosions are best at causing destruction. I'm more enthralled by seeing my art in work than seeing people die, but really... I don't _care_." Beneath the skin of her chest, her heart reeled. _He doesn't kill to _kill_, he doesn't _care! The notion of it seemed almost as insane as the _love _for killing. "You look pale, un." He commented.

"I'm still tired." She argued lightly, turning away.

"Pathetic, un."

"_P-pathetic_?" Her eyebrows knitted charily, lips puckering from the bitter words. He scantily wore a small, amused smile on his lips as the kunoichi fumed her breath.

"Go to sleep now already, un. You'll need the energy for tomorrow."

Ino nodded considerately, craning her head so that her azure eyes met his metallic orbs. A small smile tweaked against her lips and before she could witness his reaction -or even let him register-, her head had already flipped to the other direction to conceal her embarrassment. She hoped it had momentarily revealed her vague thanks and gratitude. She _liked _how he took her mind off the current event without even meaning it - _despite_ how _he _was one of the solitary reasons she was entangled in the situation anyway. How just one moment ago, she was silently facing melancholy. Intriguing, she found it was. Intriguing and peculiar.

Still, it didn't mean the thoughts were gone for good. Merely on hold. But, it was better than nothing. Tentatively, she coyly rose to her feet and paced towards his direction as he watched with clustered eyes. Drawing a deep breath, the surge of courage helping her continue, she settled next to him, leaning against the base of the tree and avoided his gaze as much as she could help. A shockwave current of thrill shot down her spine as she leaned into his body, nestling her face into his shoulder. Ino could feel Deidara stiffen beneath her and she didn't know whether it should've been taking a positive or negative way.

Forcefully, her eyelids shut, the wind lulling her into a slumber. The blond male loosened his posture, gazing with disbelieving eyes. _Ino was...? _She stirred sensibly and he froze once more at the thought that she was still awake. Once more, a tiny gentle smile graced her lips upon her closed eyes, a striking sensation blitzing across his body at the sight of it.

Shifting beneath her curvy figure, his own eyes shut and he obliviously pulled her closer. Truly, it was a fervent feeling that he liked.

* * *

_A/N_: _So, finiii. This was a pretty long chapter, geez.  
I also want to repeat the question I had asked the previous chapter as I got a few inboxes  
that were a little too vague. Thank you so much though! _

_Chapter was updated!  
_

_Review? :3  
_


	7. Dynamic Burning

**A/N: I'm really sorry for the long update. I've been sick, and well, I've had a lot of trouble with this chapter. Had to rewrite it about 3 times, and it still doesn't seem that great to me. But I'd like to thank all of the reviewers and subscribers once again :3. Thanks guys!**

**Okay, I feel like i'm forgetting about mentioning something... but oh well, enjoy!**

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* * *

**

Her gasps of air and heavy footsteps were all that was heard. Frantically turning around, she whimpered as the figure continued to stride towards her. It was dark, but she could make out the collar of the cloak. They were still after her. Why had she been so peaceful the last few days! This was a lot worse than she expected. As the figure came closer, she sprinted again, to no specific place. All she wanted to do was get the hell out of there.

"Ino, un." Ino stopped and swung her head around at the voice. Through the dark, she could make out the features of Deidara. Tears began to travel down her face quickly.

"D-D-D-Deidara...I'm s-s-sorry..." She spoke through sobs. She couldn't make out his expression and hesitantly stepped forward. His features became more clear with every step and without noticing, she was standing right in front of him.

"You shouldn't be, un." Her eyes widened. Did that mean...he wasn't mad at her? Maybe she could...die more peacefully now...

"Th-Th-Thank you...!" She cried through her tears as she flung her arms around him. He didn't return the hug, but that didn't bother her too much. It didn't bother him, and that was all that really counted.

Stepping back, she looked at his face one more time. He stared back at her intensely. "I wouldn't be too happy if I were you, un!" He shouted with eagerness as the expression on his face twisted into a sinister grin.

Slowly taking in the words and actions, her eyes widened. "D-D-Deidara? Y-y-y-you're going to...?" She didn't dare finished the sentence, hoping it wouldn't hurt to say as much if she didn't say the last few words. But no, it hurt a lot more than she could've ever imagined.

"Yeah, un!" His face still held that cruel smile.

That excitement in his voice...just struck her. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was watch as he crafted two things. As he opened his hands, she saw in one hand he had formed a spider, and in the other he had formed a snake. And then they leaped at her.

Before the _bang _even happened, Ino let out one scream of pure grief and pain.

* * *

The kunoichi's eyes flew open as she let out an earsplitting scream. Deidara sat in front of her, a puzzled yet...worried look on his face. Letting out a sigh of pure relief, she nearly pounced on him, but thankfully he was able to retain his sitting position. Ino buried her face into his neck. Slowly, he rubbed her back; it seemed like the right thing to do. This interaction was...different. She trembled as she sniffled lightly, but they weren't sniffles at all. Deidara heard the muffled sobs and cries and quickly pulled her off of him to get a better look at her.

As he had predicted, crystal liquid ran down her face as she quivered with her breaths. "...Dei...d-dara..."

"What's wrong, un?"

She backed away from him, unsure on what to do. That was a dream-err, nightmare. That _nightmare_ was just devastating. The tears that fell were tears of fear. Ino had never though death could be so painful in both ways. She had rated dying too lowly, but now that was different. Dying would be tragic and she never wanted to leave life. But it was...horrible, just horrible to see that Deidara was the one delivering the death. "You...you wouldn't ever...hurt me...would you?"

Deidara tensed. "...No."

"Or...kill me?" _Does she know_? _How did she find out_!

"...No." He lied again. Why did he feel bad lying to her like this? He lied every so often and it didn't seem bad at all.

Ino let out a sigh and smiled lightly. "Okay...thanks." It was...that easy?

Maybe it was her sleep... "...Your dream, un?"

"Y-yeah..."

So it had just been a dream. She didn't have any direct assumptions. That was good. Orders were orders and he had to fulfill them. Even if they were commands, he would still enjoy it. Yes, he would have to enjoy it. He _must _enjoy it. Just think... having the honors of destroying someone extraordinary as Ino with _his art_. _That_, would _definitely _be amazing. It _just had_ to be! He gritted his teeth, but luckily, Ino was pondering too much to notice.

_Alright, that was definitely just a nightmare! I'm so stupid! I can't believe I actually asked him that!_ She thought. Well, she couldn't really blame herself... The Deidara in her dream had exactly the same features as the real Deidara. Especially the feelings and elation about art... But it was all a nightmare.

_It was a nightmare. He wouldn't actually plan on killing you._

* * *

Ino had been quite silent for a bit, for some odd reason. She had already gotten over her dream, hadn't she? Staring at the fish in the pond, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. They were going to one of the bases in a bit...

"Ino, you should wash that blood off your hair, un." Deidara remarked angrily, the sight of her red-streaked ponytail driving the situation back into his head.

She reached up to to feel her hair, narrowing her eyes, "What? What do you-" But her fingers felt the stiff, rough areas on her hair. Her...hair...was dirty with blood! "Ew! My hair!" She yelled hastily, scooping water up to wash her ponytail.

Deidara sighed and shook his head. She had not caught on. "Wanna tell me why you were fighting?"

"Huh?" She blinked, before realizing what he meant. "...I-I...had no choice! What else was I supposed to do?"

"You could've tried to escape. I told you not to get involved in combat, un."

She shook her head, "It's not that big of a deal...So what are we doing now?"

Deidara watched as she cleansed the last of the stains out of her hair. _Drip, drip_. "I think we should capture one more before heading back to one of the bases, un."

Ino groaned but changed the topic, "Can we...stay here for a little longer?"

He cocked an eyebrow, "What for?"

"Well...just cause." She dunked her hand inside the pond, letting the clear water splash around. Deidara said nothing and it really bothered her, but he didn't get up, most likely meaning that they were going to stay just like she requested. She took a glimpse at him, and predictably, he took out some clay and started making something else. She looked back at the pond, staring at the tiny droplets of water that flew around as she swished her hand in different directions._ Bang_. _Boom_. She didn't bother lifting her head and looking. The criminal was probably enjoying himself quite well with his dangerous explosive artwork.

Ino wasn't exactly sure on how Deidara felt about her. Besides, it'd take a miracle to get him to actually be captivated by her. But she knew, she just knew, that she was...attracted to him. No way would he be interested in her. Growling, she violently shook her hand that was still in the water, causing wild splashes. _Deidara, why do you make me feel this way about you_!

"What the hell are you doing, un?" Deidara called at her, her strained face was standing out quite strongly, not to mention the noisy water waves. "Is this why you wanted to stay here, un? To cause destruction to the fish?"

"Huh?" She glanced down at the fish, who had retreated to the farthest point of the pond away from her. "Oh...oops..."

Deidara sighed, a little frustrated for some reason that he couldn't quite make out. He glanced at Ino, who had stood up and began walking away. "Where are you going, un?"

"For a walk." Silently, she left.

* * *

Ino squealed as the sound of someone landing took place. She spun around, only to sigh as Deidara stood there. "You were gone for a while, un."

"Not that long..." She muttered.

"Two hours." He stated.

She wondered. "Oh..." _Well, that's your fault. You shouldn't have let me be gone for that long._

"That dream, un. It's still bothering you." His eyebrows bound.

"...Yeah." Denying it would be idiotic.

"You wanted to be alone for that reason...?" He questioned, referring to the long, long walk she had just taken.

"No." And that was the truth. But that didn't mean that she couldn't hide the reason why she wanted alone time; to think about Deidara. She wanted to think about him, to muse about him, as much as she could without having any possibility of being caught by him. "I'm not going to tell you why. It's _personal_." She quickly added

Why would she need a _two hour_stroll to ponder about whatever it was? It hadn't been the dream, so what was it? "Hmm, just tell me already, un."

"Ugh, I already said no. But...um, there's something I _will _tell you." There was something else that she wanted to tell him... Not her feelings. Hell no.

"What is it?" He asked expectantly.

That would have to wait. "Let's talk about it later. C'mon, let's go catch this person." She sighed, walking ahead from Deidara back to the opening.

Deidara cursed under his breath.

* * *

"Heh. For a weak, old man, you're pretty fast, un!" Deidara commented forcefully, as he fired another clay bomb at the old man. Ino had to agree with Deidara; the old dude was _very _quick. He had managed to escape all of Deidara's explosions! But...it was..._disturbing_. Just watching Deidara, a young male, who was attacking this innocent, old man. The blonde female bit her lower lip. Apart of her wanted to look away, but the bothering sight was so capturing.

Again, another clay work shot at the oldie but he leaped out of the way, dodging the force that the detonation created. Deidara was chuckling loudly, amusement with every single sound. The old man sprung around the trees with low, cracked grunts. She winced as the old shinobi yelped when one of the explosions successfully damaged his left leg. Still, he was quite agile. As the old man winced and cringed, holding onto his leg, Ino swallowed and asked something hesitantly, "Do you want me to help you?" Her eyes trailed to Deidara.

He glanced at her, a little surprised but smirked. "How so?"

Ino fidgeted a bit. She really didn't want to help at all. Deidara was taking his time and she didn't like that at all. She just wanted the match to end so she couldn't have to feel pitiful for the victim. "W-well...Just let me use a jutsu. It might make it easier for you to attack him so we can finish it."

Deidara huffed. "Hmm, well I wanted to play around a little more...I was enjoying myself and I can handle on my own... But...if you want to, I guess."

Ino rolled her eyes, though it didn't seem like the right thing to do. "Alright." She said, forming an angular seal with her index fingers and thumbs. Holding her chakra within the seal and focusing on the oldie, she let the chakra burst. "Shinrashin no Jutsu!"_ Yes_! She mentally commented, as she felt the grip of the oldie trying break free. With loud yells, he began to attack a nearby tree. Deidara watched, amazed at her jutsu. She could force someone into attacking something not called for.

"Impressed?" She smirked at his expression, ignoring the frustrated roars.

"A little, un. Do you get to choose what the opponent strikes?"

She slumped a bit, deflated. "No..."

Deidara laughed,"It's still quite interesting." He assured her. "Now..." A white blur flew directly at the man. "Katsu!" _BANG._

Ino cringed. What she was doing was cruel...so, so cruel! Attacking a poor, old man! How could she...? She looked at Deidara, who was grinning at his way of art. _You were doing it for the best! _Her mind shouted at her.

With a sigh, she watched as the knocked out oldie got wrapped with a newly formed, large bird's tail.

* * *

"Well, are you going to tell me you're reasoning for that walk, un?" He asked impatiently.

Ino blinked. "What?"

Deidara arched an eyebrow. "You said we could talk about it later, un. Now is later."

"Oh, right..." She looked up at the sky, which was a orange-golden mix as the Sun set.

"Well, un?"

"...I...I have a view on art..." Ino announced meekly. She flushed with regret right after; She made it sound so..._stupid_.

But to her surprise, Deidara's eyes widened and _that _was just what she was hoping for. "Is that so, un? Tell me." She sat against a tree; something she had grew to love in the past few days. Deidara took a seat in front of her, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"I..." She began. "Well, let's see... _Anything _can be art..."

The blonde criminal sighed, narrowing his eyebrows again. "That's not interesting if art is everywh-"

"Let me finish!" She interrupted. "Art... is something that strives to the fullest - taking steps of trying to be the best, and eventually flourishing into the most beautiful point it could reach before withering away elegantly, slowly... and leaving something else in its place for remembrance." _Ugh, I _really _sound like an idiot_. But that was what she'd thought if she was in Deidara's perspective. Truthfully, Ino took much pride in how her philosophy had much connections to her flower work.

Deidara listened to her intently, nodding. "...That's most definitely something interesting, un." It wasn't exactly in agreement with his -destruction, detonation and erased history-, but there _was _still disappearance. Other feelings were held for other situations. He could..._feel _art, and _that _gave him plenty of feelings, all that made art pure bliss. But, it didn't represent Sasori's...with his damn puppets, you could expect the same, dull thing. But that didn't matter... even though her theory did have ties with his, that wasn't why he was fascinated. That theory...was different. Maybe her artistic style wasn't that great...but her approach with art was so...alluring.

Her eyes lit up, "Really...? You think so?" A smile tugged at her lips as she awaited his response.

"Yes."

"That's good. It's great to know that an artis-" Her heart lurched as something soft and moist pressed against her lips - another pair of lips. Ino could feel her heart pounding, ready to break out. Her body went limp, ready to crumble as her insides lit with a dynamic flare.

She slowly closed her wide eyes, encircling her shaking arms around Deidara's neck, pulling herself closer to him. Eagerly, she pushed her lips against his with power and Deidara could feel her mouth move harder against his. His whole mind, body, everything was being invaded with electrical sparks that flickered and tingled him. Ino's hand stroked the back of his neck, making both of their feelings even more vigorous. Hesitantly, she pulled away, taking deep breaths. Deidara, on the other hand, sat there, shocked, stunned, dazed...that type of thing. _Why the hell did I...? _But the thought trailed off. He was weak. Weak against his own impulses. He glanced at her; she was breathing quite hard and he couldn't make out her expression...

Deidara placed his hand on her shoulder, "Are you...okay? I'm...sorry, un." No, he wasn't sorry at all. He was being greedy and liked the feeling, and so he did not regret it. But still, she was continuing panting. The blonde kunoichi stopped taking breaths and looked up, frozen this time.

"Yes." A light smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

And...she pulled him closer. Parting her lips, she placed them on his, this time sweetly and gently. Her lips were being soft and tender, the motion much more innocent and delicate. Her arm slowly crawled around his neck, stroking his long, beautiful hair. The moment was so perfect, it drowned out all of Ino's worries. Unwillingly, she curved her lips, pulling away once again to sort out her cluttered mind.

_Did that...really happen_? Her eyes were wide, trying to take it all in. But still, that didn't change how delighted she was. She could feel her cheeks glow a crimson color. Slowly, she lifted her head to look at Deidara, who was staring at her with an unreadable expression. She rose, inclining her head so she could hide her smile.

* * *

"Ernghm...Deidara, can we...land so I can...sleep?" Ino moaned, as the clay owl glided through the starlit sky.

The blond Akatsuki member turned around to catch a glimpse, and sure enough, her whole body was slouching, ready to collapse in any second. He scanned the area; the nearest base was still hours away. He lowered the owl and helped her down. Ino stumbled across the woods, finding a perfect tree and immediately sat against it. Deidara watched her, as she began to lightly snore a few moments after marking her property.

He sighed loudly. Deidara didn't want to kill her. He _knew _he had been lying to himself for the past couple of days. He _knew _that he was forcing himself into thinking he would find murdering her thrilling. He _knew _she was absolutely precious to him. But, what if his feelings strengthened?

* * *

The Yamanaka shuffled her feet in frustration. Her deep slumber was interrupted by a damn squirrel and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't go to sleep. Her eyes trailed to the dangerous criminal across from her. How she envied him; the way he was able to sleep in such a relaxed manner... Damn squirrel. Once again, she squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to fall into a soothing sleep, but no. Nothing happened.

Snarling lowly, she pushed onto her feet to stand up and began to take unbalanced, light steps into the dark trees. Owls annoyingly hooted with every tree she passed and it was getting more irritating at the moment. With a forced sigh, she recollected what had happened that day. She smiled freely, remembering her enthralling interaction with Deidara. But the smile soon disappeared... She was _still _lying to him, unintentionally or not. But if she _hadn't _lied to him, she wouldn't have been able to grow feelings for him, or be alive, for that matter. But what poked at her most was how would he react. How? To know that she was someone that had a huge purpose and accompanied him - and _completely connected _with him - but it turned out that she lied, still lying even after feelings developed.

Unless he thought of her as nothing.

No; he _kissed _her! That counted as somethng, right?

But...she didn't _mean _to lie. Not after every thing went in motion, that is.

In her frustrated state, she dashed back to the opening to, once again, try to get more sleep.

* * *

Ino's eyelids tickled as the Sun urged her to wake up. With a groggy groan, she slapped her hands over her eyes but still, the sunlight crept through between her fingers. Fixing her hair, she got up and glanced around the opening. The Akatsuki criminal wasn't there... _bang_. Ino rolled her eyes, following the rumbling noises to find Deidara. There he was, next to the loud detonations, predictably enjoying himself.

Biting her lip, she strode towards him, hoping that they could get to the base. "Can we get to a hideout now?"

Deidara whirled around, glancing at her. "Actually, I want to get this job done already. There's one more person left, un. Let's get him."

The Yamanaka groaned but hopped onto the bird. And...she decided she was going to tell him.

Maybe not now, but still, she was going to tell him soon.

* * *

**A/N: Not a very good ending. Sorry! ACK.**

**I am so madd, cause I've been getting these constant questions bout my story and this one is crucial [to me, to be exact].**

*****Is their chemistry too fast, NOT considering the amount of days. Or is it steady?**

**Thanks so much guys, if ya answer. I'd really appreciate it if you did! :D**

Reference:

-Shinrashin no Jutsu: Mind Body Disturbance Technique


	8. Words That Glide

**A/N: I'm so, so, sorry for the long update again! . **

**Again, i had a lot of troubles in this chapter, but at least I didn't have to rewrite it. ;]**

**Well, enjoy!  
**

* * *

The river reflected the moon's luminescence. Ino watched as the river passed, swallowing the last of her rice cake as a breeze brushed against her face. The wind was not fierce, but very chilly. As she shivered, she crawled to Deidara's seat on the bird and huddled into his side, his heat radiating onto her skin.

The golden-blond gawked at her actions. "What the he-"

"Shush." She silenced him. Still, he hadn't understood the notion; she wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

He twisted his head back front, occasionally glimpsing at her. Her pale hair flew wildly from the breeze, creating gorgeous moving patterns. Deidara fought against the urge to pull her closer; it wasn't something big, but getting closer to her would make her killing worse. Ino nuzzled her face into his shoulder a little more, strengthening Deidara's temptations.

"The moon's nice, isn't it?" She commented with a sigh.

Following her gaze to the moon, he responded. "It is beautiful...But it shines too much, un."

Ino cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean...?"

"It's not as special since it glows _every _night. It would gain more appreciation if it didn't, un; everybody just expects the moon to arrive whenever the Sun leaves, and they never truly value it because of that." He roused. Ino's heart drummed rapidly, and Deidara inclined his head to conceal his smile. And he forgot about his plans, pulling her closer.

She smiled lightly. "I see your point..."

They flew in silence, Ino sporadically nestling into his arm.

* * *

"I'm bored..." The childish, nonchalant words escaped from Ino's mouth as she twirled her bangs. Perhaps she should clean up a bit...Deidara might be disgusted.

He looked up from his clay. "Then go do something, un."

"Can I cuddle with you?" She questioned meekly, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

It would be nice, but he wasn't _fully _in the mood at the moment. "No, un."

The Yamanaka pursed her lips. "Why not?"

"I can't hold you every minute, un." He stated, a slight smile playing on his lips. Ino sighed and rolled her eyes, but she understood and respected that. Deidara was _not _the romantic type, and when it came to romance, he just...did what he felt like doing. It was a unique feature, but for some reason, it absolutely dazzled the blond kunoichi.

"Yes, you can." She protested with a sly smile.

Deidara cocked an eyebrow. "I don't get it, un." Ino laughed; surely he had to see it coming, but no, he didn't.

"Hmph." Ino slowly got up from her seat, sauntering towards Deidara. Once she reached him, she gently set herself on his lap, nestling until she was snug enough. "Now, wrap your arms around me." She ordered.

"No." He voiced, trying to hide his smile.

The blond huffed. "Come _on_. Just do it!"

"This isn't what your intentions were headed for, un." He stated mockingly with a smirk. She hated it, but at the same time, completely loved it.

"Ugh, stop making this so hard!" Her eyebrows set as she became more exasperated, which was _exactly _what he had intended.

He chortled at her reactions, but obliged to her request, wrapping his arms around her. "Will you shut up now, un?" He inquired, studying her content expression.

"Yes." She rejoined, a smile toying on her face.

She let her eyelids fall over her eyes, leaning her weight and body back into Deidara's shoulder. Her hand soothingly stroked his crossed leg, sending flickering sparks through his body. Her silky hair pressed against his neck, overlaying the warmth emitting from his skin. Slowly, Ino shifted her body so that her side was pressed against him rather than her back. She laid her hand on his chest, exhaling loudly.

"See? You're holding me." She mused.

Deidara shook his head. "I'm not gonna hold you forever, un. Better enjoy it while you can."

"Geez, bastard." She mumbled disdainfully, while pulling away.

"I never said you had to move." He corrected, though she just shook her head.

"Too bad." Ino spun around, stepping towards her original seat. "You enjoyed it too." She sneered, taking her spot against the tree.

"And...? What if I did?" He simpered.

Ino stifled her own smirk. "Well, nothing." Truthfully, her heart struck her chest thrillingly after hearing those words.

* * *

"We're getting ready to leave, un." He called after her.

The kunoichi sighed. "Yeah, okay." She strode towards him, grimacing as her hair bounced against her face.

"What, un?"

Ino looked down, pulling her bangs behind her ear. "My damn hair is all dirty. _I'm _all dirty. I hate it! Can I...go wash up?"

He shook his head. "We don't have time, un."

"Please! I'll be quick! I don't want to look like _this_." She didn't normally diss herself but the words came out disdainfully.

"No. You spend too much time with looks, un." He clarified.

Ino bound her eyebrows. "That's cause I have to look good."

"You're going to take a while, un."

"...Well, time always makes things look better." Ino decried.

Once again, he shook his head. "No, it doesn't." He disagreed.

"Well, I'll look even better afterwards..." She stated, slowly trailing off.

"No, un."

Her skin frizzed with angering tingles. "You might want to think about listening to what I just said."

"What do you mean, un?"

The Yamanaka commenced to explain. "You know, for your art and all. I mentioned it before. You should take more time to work on your art; you create things too quickly and then...it turns out..._ne_." Ino shrugged as if it wasn't that important.

"_What_?"

Ino rolled her eyes, oblivious to Deidara's slight anger. "Well, you may take pride in your art in all...but...you should use, well, time to make your clay work better. " The kunoichi emphasized the words so that it could actually _hit _him.

She was directly insulting _his art_! Deidara raised an eyebrow. "And I don't suppose you have evidence of that, un?"

Ino motioned towards her figure as if it were the most obvious thing. "See? I use time to look more graceful and gorgeous. I have to impress others. You could do the same with your _art_." She dragged out the word, in what seemed like a taunting tone. She really did take his art as nothing, didn't she?

"_Graceful _and _gorgeous_?" He scoffed. "Who are you trying to impress? Captives? _Me_?" His eyebrows furrowed together.

Ino winced at the words; they were sharp, strong and _clearly _clarified on how he felt. She bit her lip, attempting to stay strong. "I don't _try_, I _do_."

"Hmph."

It wasn't convincing enough. She folded her arms across her chest. "I _am _impressive."

"You're not appealing to anybody, un." Ino cringed as Deidara's words stabbed her. He had snarled them too, increasing the pain.

Her teeth stabbed into her bottom lip, uncertain on what to do. Deidara studied her expression; it was unreadable, obscure. She looked down, hiding her face, arms still crossed over her chest. Was she hurt? Upset? Offended? Angry? With her, you could never know. But he didn't feel the slightest bit sympathetic. She had criticized his art and _that _was immensely annoying. The blond criminal stood there, his gaze laid on her. She could feel it too, and she wished he could just go away.

Ino's stomach was twisting, her heart stinging. Maybe he was right...ergh, why was she...so affected by his words? She knew the answer; her efforts in beauty was...for him...but now she knew it was in vain. He had specifically said that she did not impress anybody, so what was the point...? Also, beauty...was what she loved most. She was always an expert at styles and appearance, but now it seemed as if it was all a terrible lie.

Deidara quickly noticed the rhythm of her motion; she was rocking on her heels back and forth with every short moment that elapsed. They both stood there, doing simply nothing except stay in silence. The Yamanaka continued to rock and sway on her heels, avoiding looking at him.

"Let's just go, un." He sliced the silence as she gave him a small nod. Was it that bad? What he said? Did it really affect her _this _much? Ever so slowly, they strolled back to a wide clearing while Deidara took out his clay. Maybe...he should make something different; just for her. Rather than a bird, he easily created a surprise for her. Not a pig, not a snake, not an owl...Something that might please her. It wasn't anything too big; just a simple butterfly.

He glanced at Ino, her head still down as her bangs hung from her head. Sighing, he let the butterfly flutter to the emerald earthy blades that shielded the soil. Performing a hand seal, the angelic bug made a loud _poof_, smoke and cloudy puffs concealing it. As the dense fog cleared, there was the butterfly, expanded into a much larger bug. The Yamanaka lifted her gaze, staring at the gorgeous butterfly.

"I made it for you, un." He stated with a soft smile pulling at the corner of his lips. Hoping that she adored it, Deidara helped the blond kunoichi onto the piece of artwork.

* * *

She had not said anything. Not a word of appreciation, not a word of hatred. The Akatsuki member scowled at her utter silence. What he hated most was it was caused by _one _comment about looks. He stole one more glimpse of her, frowning even deeper once he saw her thoughtful expression. The Sun was beginning to depart, leaving the sky golden with a tinge of orange.

"So, where's this target, hmm?" The ringing voice spoke. He whipped his head around, staring at her. Her face hadn't changed, but at least her tone did.

Deidara shook his head. "Kumogakure." He paused for a moment. "I don't like it there. They can...stop my explosions."

"What? How?"

"Elemental styles...Okay, well, right now, I'd like to know what you think of this." He ran his hand over the creature they were sat down against, gliding.

Ino looked down studying it. "...Truthfully, I...think it's gorgeous." The words came out with true honesty. It was so...controversial with what she had said earlier. "...You made it for me?" Ino added, recollecting the words he had spoken after making it.

He nodded. "Yes, un."

"I love it..." She murmured, patting the art piece.

"Hmm, don't admire it just yet. The true aspect of artistry is within that moment of destruction and utter disappearance of it, un." He smiled with his words. Ino could feel her lips curve into a small smile also. She sighed, taking in everything that's happened.

"Don't you think a giant flying butterfly is a little...odd? And that people will notice?"

He pondered for a short moment. "No. If they do try to attack, well, that'd just be bad for them, un." He smirked a wicked smile that gave Ino shivers down her spine.

"How far is Kumogakure?"

He examined the landscape below them. "About seven hours..." A frown appeared on his face. "My leader is going to be angry. We're taking a while, un."

"I don't mind." The words escaped from Ino's mouth, and she wondered if he was aware of what she meant. She hoped he didn't; that'd be embarassing.

* * *

"It's evening again...can we rest here tonight...? I don't feel like flying."

Deidara hesitated, "Alright..." They were so close to their next intention but now it was delayed. Both vaulted from the butterfly, landing swiftly onto the cold ground. Ino turned to a tree that was meters away, but he halted her, holding onto her arm. "First, you have to watch your gift truly become art." He commented, referring to the giant butterfly.

She gave him a soft smile. "Okay." They backed away from the piece of clay. Deidara raised a handseal, allowing the butterfly to detonate with massive force that, again, threw Ino off balance. Apart of her was upset to see the graceful art piece depart with such power, but she had to admit, it was...exciting. Sad, threatening, scary and exciting. It may not have been the exact same way Deidara enjoyed it but still, she did like itt

He turned to the Yamanaka, smirking once he saw her smile of awe. She looked at him, the smile still plastered on her face, "Thank you...that was...amazing." She beamed. Deidara the pleasure and pride to take over his body, and it did, but much stronger than he was used to. It almost didn't seem possible, but it was surely a wonderful feeling.

She whirled around, strolling towards a tree. Half of her mind was craving more attention and time with Deidara, while the other half urged her to confide with him. Her teeth pushed onto her bottom lip, as she let out a sigh. "Deidara." She called, waving for him to come closer. He headed towards her, seating down in front of her.

The blond criminal stared at the angelic girl in front of him. Her eyes were filled with pensiveness and complete wonder and worry. What was going on? Deidara looked down. Hadn't he already insisted on not getting closer to her? Still...maybe she should learn about what would happen. Would that change how he would feel once..._it _happened? It would either make things worse, or make things better...Yes, he was going to tell her, right there, right now.

Ino sucked in a breath. "Deidara," She repeated, this time not a call. "I need to...tell you something." Her melancholy expression was so...strange.

He looked down. Whatever she was going to say, it didn't seem pleasant. But then again, what _he _was going to tell her at the moment wasn't quite pleasant either.

* * *

**A/N: Again, very sorry for the not-so-quick update. D: A week, sheez. I'm really gonna try to avoid that, but if it happens, you should know that I'm most likely busy since this week is pretty hectic for me. Anyways, I really hoped you enjoyed it!**

**La, la, la -reviews-, lalalalla. **

Reference:

-Kumogakure: Village Hidden In the Clouds


	9. Uncertain Eyes

**A/N: Wahooo! Didn't make a late update this time! Hahaaa! Um, i really don't have anything to say here...so...read on! :D**

**Oh yes, umm, the chapter may seem short, but its very wordy in paragraphs I believe...hehe. :]**

**Now, you may read. :D  
**

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* * *

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"What is it, un?" He questioned, the moon hovering behind him.

Ino's mind wandered and wondered. _Why _exactly was she so scared about him knowing? After all, it was just not being able to perform a jutsu... She had already pondered about this, but it seemed as if the reasons were back. Except, in so much more detail.

_Shit_. Her mind echoed. It went dizzy, as if it was being hit by something consistently. What if...it was going to be okay...? What if he understood? Would he? Was he capable of that? Did h-

"Well?" His low voice cut her thoughts.

The Yamanaka lowered her gaze again, setting her sights on her trembling fingers. "Err, oh, umm, yes..." She sucked in some air through her lips as they reopened. "Well...umm, I...you know the mission...?"

Deidara nodded with mere expectations. "Obviously, un."

Ino's teeth pieced into her lower lip, almost hard enough to draw blood. "I-I can't...err, all this time...well," She scrambled for words. All sentences and phrases she had planned out now seemed to be deadly wrong. But then, something hit her. If she had not lied, she would have never met him. Well, actually..._know _him. There wouldn't have been enough time to truly be attracted to him like she was now.

_And I've only kissed him once_... Her head quickly recalled that magnificent interaction between them the other day. It hadn't been Ino's first kiss...but it was the best.

_Just another time..._ Ever so gradually, she leaned in, inclining her head at the best angle. The space between them was getting smaller and smaller...and then their lips finally met. Like an automatic reaction, her lips began to push against his with massive fervor as her heart pulsated wildly. She threw her arms around his neck, drawing herself closer with such eagerness. Sparks began to tickle her body, and that familiar fragileness, once again, took over.

Deidara was trying his best to concentrate on what she was going to say. He had never been so...allured and curious to words. But apart of him _didn't _want to concentrate. That part of him wanted to lunge into her with much enthusiasm. But he did neither; he let the moment take him over. His hands snaked around her thin waist, pulling her as close as he could. She was sitting against his lap, mouth moving in such a thrilling pattern.

He let out a snarl once she pulled away, causing the kunoichi's curvy lips to twitch into a content smirk. But then it faded away. Just like that. It returned to it's thoughtful expression and it was really starting to irritate Deidara. What was the damn matter anyway? The turmoil was strong; very strong. Even Ino could see.

"Continue on, un." He spoke.

She dropped her gaze but he wouldn't let her. He simply placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head so that she was staring at him straight in the eye. His piercing, powder blue eyes smoldering into her soft, cerulean eyes. "Y-you...err, umm, the mission...For this whole time...I..." She paused, causing him to clench his teeth in frustration. _What the hell? Tell me!_ "I knew...that I wasn't able to..." Another moment of hesitation.

Deidara growled, startling her. Ino quickly shrugged her chin out of his hand. He abruptly noticed the complete change of mind once he did. "No, it's not about what you're telling me, un. I still don't know yet. Go on." He reassured her. She nodded weakly. What was she going to say?

"I'm not able to...read minds." She confessed, true fear and worry completely shocking her. Once the words had slipped out, the whole thing was evident. She knew why she was afraid. She had dragged him on, allowing him to believe that she was capable to doing a specific thing. That specific thing was the reason of her presence. And she couldn't even perform it. She wasn't able to do the jutsu. She didn't know how. Yet, she lied. Ino was a weakling. As small time elapsed, passion grew between them both, but even so, she didn't tell him. The Yamanaka had still proceeded drawing him with her lie. And now, that was going to end. He was going to know about everything; that she had continued hauling him along with her lie about mind reading, even after everything -adoration, passion, care- had blossomed.

Hesitantly, she glanced at Deidara's face, regretting it right after.

_Why the damn hell would she...? That damn girl lied. She lied this whole time. Right now, she should be dead! If she was dead a while ago...then I wouldn't have to be facing this right now! _This _and how much it'll affect me once I kill her. But it doesn't matter anymore. Ino wasn't honest, despite how she _seems _to feel about me_. _Weakling. Liar. __All this time...she had a purpose she had to carry out...and she didn't tell the truth. She couldn't do any of it! She left me in the dark, even after we...ergh, it may not have been much, but still... She lied - weak - Ino - Liar - Ino - _The thoughts ran through Deidara's head, and was too fast and tangled for her to comprehend when nearing the end, as his face composed _exactly _how he felt.

"...Say something." She whimpered.

But he said nothing. With much force, he pushed her away from him, slamming her into the tree from her behind. She cringed, a yelp escaping. Ino knew it, she just knew it. His facial expressions told her that what she had predicted was _very _close to the reasons behind his anger. Angry because of one small lie... but now it seemed much bigger than she thought. Helplessly, she watched as Deidara pushed onto his feet and looked down at her, his silhouette from the moonlight casting over her.

"Go to sleep, un." He snarled.

Her eyes squeezed shut once she saw his hands reach for some clay. But all that was heard was a deep _poof. _Her eyelids fluttered open to see Deidara leaping onto the clay work. "Don't leave me..." She whispered with much hope in her tone.

"Just stay there and go to sleep." Deidara responded, before disappearing behind the moonlight's ominous shine. He wasn't on planning on leaving her. No. He had something else planned, but right now, he just wanted some time alone. He'd be back that night. Churning his head lightly, he could make out her weak figure.

"Bitch." He muttered, as he turned ahead.

* * *

Ino sat there, sprawled against the tree, the same tree that he had left her at. Just like that, he was gone. Why? It was such a mistake to tell him! He'd be back, wouldn't he...? Or was he getting some other Akatsuki member to come for her?

And then...out of the corner of her eye...she made out a shape. A figure...standing on a bird. He was coming back for her? Did he feel regretful? Or did he come to take her to their leader so she could experience the worse death possible? As the loud footsteps landed, she could hear them come closer.

"Deida-" But her words twisted into a shriek once an arm viciously grabbed hers. "Ouch!" She squealed, slapping Deidara's hand for release. But his grip was hard, stiff, stubborn, not to mention _very _aggressive.

He simply pulled her along, pushing her onto the bird. "We're going to Kumogakure now."

To catch the last person.

* * *

After capturing this last person, he would assassinate her, _after _telling her his earlier plan of her killing. She would be terrified, hurt and _that _would surely get her back. It was morning, the Sun shining in such a cheery way; it disgusted him. However, after many more moments of flying, he entered an ocean of clouds that drowned out all of the sunlight.

Scanning the citizens of Kumogakure, he quickly picked out one guy that seemed to fit all of the details about the victims. Forming another bird, he tossed it in a direction, allowing it to fly and flutter it's wings.

_Bang_.

And with that, he dove down, ignoring every person who screamed, "Akatsuki!" and quickly escaped the horrendous place. Ino was hyperventilating; the speed and agility was too much for her, and she felt as if all her organs were in the wrong spots. Ino could tell her face was a little pale.

"Where are we...going to now?"

Her stomach churned as he replied, "To one of the bases for a meeting with Hatafuri-sama."

How close was she to death? Or trouble? Or whatever bad thing lied ahead of her? She gazed at his face, registering the troubles and anger that was shown. Her eyelids were heavy as she fought against the urge to allow them to slide against her eyes shut. Maybe sleep would be good for her... she could escape reality and dream about whatever she wished...or perhaps face another horrid nightmare. Ino shivered at the thought; hell no. No sleep. She would have to endure whatever came.

However, it didn't wipe away her temptations to sleep. _Just a few more hours, Ino... You can keep it up!_ Her mind roared.

* * *

The blond kunoichi let out a small shriek as they landed next to a large den, different from the first one she had encountered. Deidara readily pushed her off the bird, jumping off himself, before carelessly exploding it. He didn't even care that she was within range of the detonation, Ino had noticed. He stalked towards her, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her towards the entrance. She didn't say anything; it would've been pointless so instead, all she could do was whimper.

As she took trembling steps, her foot hit something rough and hard, causing her to fall over and land on her palms and knees, grazing them. The blond criminal frowned, pulling her up again. Her scraped knees made it even harder to walk, but she managed to trail along, as her arm was locked in his grip.

"Ow!" She cried as he threw her onto the ground. Holograms appeared, but only two.

Ino could recognize the leader's voice. "What is it, Deidara?"

_Please don't, _She mentally pleaded to Deidara, knowing it would be useless. And she was right. It was useless. "This girl can't scan minds, un." _This girl... _She had received a new title. Lovely. It was worse than being called 'Yamanaka'.

"Elaborate." One simple word. A simple word that had him telling everything.

"This whole time with her was pointless. She never could do mind-reading, but she continued to speak false information about it, un." He briefly explained.

Despite the hologramic appearance, Ino had a clear view on the eyes that narrowed. "Escort her out of this area and come back."

Deidara nodded, pulling her once again into a different hallway. It wasn't made out of stone like the first one, however it was dark and murky. He swung open a steel door, pushing Ino inside. She didn't object; she simply stumbled in, taking her seat on the cold floor. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as the door slammed shut.

* * *

"So, what should we do?" The golden-blond questioned his leader.

Pein shook his head. "Kill her, then capture another Yamanaka. This time, make sure they are capable of carrying out the task."

"Hmm, when are you going to be fully recovered, un?" But Pein's hologram simply perished. He turned his gaze to the next hologram. "What are you doing here, Sasori no Danna?"

The puppet master groaned. "I was informed to be here as your partner."

Deidara smirked at his dissatisfaction, but it was too late because that hologram evaporated as well, leaving him alone in the cave. Except for Ino, that is. What was she doing now? Possibly screaming to get out and escape, regretting her decisions. With a low grunt, he lurked into the halls, finding a room to set in for the rest of the day.

* * *

Usin_g her tender hands, Ino brushed the dust off the floor, creating quick, light, smoky clouds. Her eyes scanned the large room, registering the nothingness. It was completely empty; except for one innocent, lone _girl.

_Shikamaru, Choji, help! _Her thoughts echoed.

_Sakura, please! _Nothing.

_Tenten, Hinata!? _

_Kiba...? Lee...? _

_Naruto!? _

_Neji...! Shino...! _

_Somebody, please...! _

The kunoichi shook her head for no particular reason, causing her hair to flail wildly in the dark air. She sniffled, the soft liquid still sliding down her face. What had she done wrong to deserve this fate anyway? Why did it have to be her...? Wasn't there _anybody _who could help her?

_Deidara..._ Ino shook her head. There was no way; he was the one who had isolated her there anyways.

_Deidara, please help me... _Her thoughts called, though for no real reason. _Please..._

Ino bit her lip, pushing herself to her feet and walked to one of the cold walls. She set herself against it, sliding down to take a seat and pulled her knees to her chest. Her arms wrapped around them securely, craving warmth. Pressed against the wall, she could hear the swaying of the violent wind from outside. Cocking her head up, she stared at the empty ceiling, just hoping for a miracle to be there. Something like a small hole would be fine... But nothing; all there was was an empty ceiling that could haunt her.

With no hope. she dropped her head onto her knees, allowing her stiff, rough bangs to fall over and conceal her whole face. Her chest moved with every sniff that she took, and she could feel her slow, steady, miserable rhythm her heart made. _The only reason why I'm like this is because of death... Didn't I already expect this? I already said that cherishing time with Deidara would ease things... _But you wasn't 'cherishing time with him' anymore... In fact, he no longer held that emotion for her anyway... And it was all quick. It happened all of a sudden.

_No more emotion? So sudden..._

_

* * *

_It was boring. Absolutely boring being there alone without any enthralling feelings. He trailed out of the den, entering into the fierce storm from the outside. _That _was more exciting. Eagerly, he snatched some clay and began working on his works. The wind was wild and forceful...absolutely thrilling. His hair danced to the strong breezes, making things much more entertaining.

That didn't change the fact that the same thing had been on his mind for a while. She tricked him...and never said anything about something that could absolutely effect the organization _and _life. Yes, she wanted to live. He understood that. And the Akatsuki were to be feared. He comprehended that too. But that didn't change the fact that she didn't tell him anything _after _the...attachment. Then, something struck him. Something that he had not thought of at all. Yes, he was an Akatsuki member_, _but still... Did she not trust him...?

With mere wrath, he tossed the clay creature at a tree, letting it burst with intense strength. And for the first time...it wasn't alluring at all.

* * *

Ino inhaled the disdainful air, allowing it to trace the walls of her throat. The eerie air was making her head throb. This was just like the beginning.

She was once again a prisoner to the Akatsuki.

* * *

**A/N: Haa, there we goo. All done this chappy. :]**

**Kay, well, thanks for reading so much! **

**All writers love reviews. ;D**

Reference:

-Kumogakure: Village Hidden in the Clouds

-Hatafuri: Leader


	10. Torture

**A/N: Okay, here it is! I'm sorry if it's a little bad; I've been really tired lately and stuff. **

**Well, enjoy. :D**

* * *

"Get up, un." Deidara called, shutting the hard door behind him. The kunoichi's eyes lit as she raised her stare. "Don't get any thoughts. I just need to tell you something, un."

Her face fell, very drastically. Her eyes smoldered with misery. "...What is it?" She trembled with every word; not a very good sign. Or...maybe it was...? Was it good that she was miserable? Or bad? The confusion clustered into his mind, forcing his eyebrows to bound. _Get on with it and tell her. _

For the first time ever, Deidara's heart pounded doubtfully. Never had he doubted doing something, so why this? It was completely unreasonable, but he didn't control his organs. He cocked his chin up, as if he were much better than her and his lips curved into a devilish smile. Ino watched, shaking at the sinister posture and look. He stood there, motionless, that wicked smile fixed onto his face. Again, how did things go by so fast? What was he planning? He watched, surprised, as she stood up, however her eyebrows slanted sadly.

"Stop playing with me," She whispered softly. "just tell me already..." Again, his heart drummed against his chest once, this time in guilt. What the hell? He had never felt this way before... What had this one mere girl done to him?

He cleared his throat. "Well, I'd like to discuss a few things first, un." Ino let out a sad sigh, but nodded weakly. "First, you disguised your inability to do a jutsu with words."

What was he expecting from her? Did he want her to deny or agree with it? Or was he just stating things to set it out...? Deidara continued on, "Second, you kept up your charade, despite inner thoughts or feel_ings_..." The words blazed in his throat, and his voice cracked at the end. That was a much more personal statement that he had not intended to ask at all. Ino stood there, waiting for his next words.

"Third, you com-"

"You don't like being deceived." She interceded.

Deidara raised a gold eyebrow. "What?"

"I'm not going to repeat it." She simply said, before whirling around and sitting away from him, back in view. Truthfully, she was trying her best not to blow into tears from his cruelness.

"Say that again, un."

Even when she wasn't facing him, Ino shook her head. "No."

He snarled. She acted like none of this showed any significance, whatsoever. Not only that, she had stated something as if it were very true, yet worthless at the same time. Even with the anger, he couldn't say anything. What was he to say anyways? Frustrated in his loss for words and her ignorance, he blowed out of the room.

Facing the lonely wall, the Yamanaka let out another sigh as the door shut tight, forcefully too. She knew it all along; he just didn't like being deceived. That was why she feared his reaction. She knew it wouldn't be a good one because of that. All the reasons she had mentally thought were...true; they had ties to the fact he didn't like being deluded. That was the main reason though. Never had she seen him be fooled, meaning that she couldn't see him react. She simply didn't have any direct proof that he despised being baffled. But instead of direct proof, she just..._knew _him. All of his traits and attributes..._indirectly _portrayed that. Still, it was portrayed, and that was all that she needed to know.

Also...it wasn't exactly her fault. He had fell for it in the first place.

* * *

"Shikamaru...Choji...come...help...me..." Ino practically moaned the words as she slumped against the wall. Her belly rumbled and quaked, causing her to groan in frustration and pain. Were they going to leave her to starve to death...? "Help me...help...help...Deidara...Akatsuki...No, no..." Her words drawled loudly.

She let out a scream, one of true terror and grief.

It hurt her ears, so she did it again. Maybe if Deidara was annoyed, he would come in and she would be able to see him. One more scream...and then another...and once more. Ino held her breath, hopefully, but let it out when the door never opened. Yes, they were planning on starving her to death.

Tears began to slide down her face and she quaked with each sniff.

* * *

"What the hell...?" She commented as golden-blond set the tray of food down for her.

He narrowed his eyes. "You could be more grateful, you know, un." He paused then added with a sly smile, "Unless you want to die more quickly." _That _was the attitude that she absolutely despised. Well, she didn't mind, as long as it wasn't targeted at her, but it was. That attitude...hurt her. The amusement in her suffering...

Averting her gaze, she scarfed down the rice with her chopsticks.

"Oh, it's not as good as before either...I'm not a good cook, un."

But the food was...fine. It was bearable. She pondered on it...They weren't planning on starving her. What did that mean? Did they have another fate set up for her...? Or were they sparing her...just _barely_...? Honestly, she was confused, and that was written all over her face. She continued to devour the food, but that didn't stop the urge to speak to him.

"This is good." She commented. Not technically a lie since it wasn't _good, but _it wasn't _bad. _

Deidara scoffed. "Hmph."

"...I'm serious."

"You must be starving then."

Ino cracked a small smile. "You can only have a good meal when hungry."

But he was looking away, not paying attention to her efforts. In fact, he looked a little bored. Disinterested.

This was not how she liked to be treated. "So...um..."

He arched an eyebrow. "What?"

Ino took another bite of her food, chewing it before swallowing. "Uh, is there...anybody else here...? Another...member, that is."

The Akatsuki criminal shook his head. "Not that I know of, un. However, they can come anytime now."

"Ah." She nodded, pretending to be absorbed in the lame, short conversation. "So...do you have a partner? Um, I mean, like...someone you work with...?" Ino rectified herself at the end of her statement. The kunoichi was aware that she was being a little paranoid about her words.

"Yes. Another artist, Sasori, un." He said the words scornfully causing Ino to give him a questioning look. He answered, "He doesn't respect my values of art, un."

"...Oh." What was she supposed to say?

The Yamanaka continued to scarf the food, making no interaction or contact with the criminal beside her.

* * *

"...Now what?" She asked, after swallowing the last of her food.

He shook his head, motioning for her to get up. She did so, and arched an eyebrow once he began to trail towards the door. Tailing him, Ino followed along, exiting the room, stepping down the hall and halting as one of the boulders in the wall began to quake its way out. Deidara gestured for her to go inside the small opening and unwillingly, she climbed in, landing on the soles of her feet into a cold, dark opening of stone. Churning her head, she watched as he made his way inside, the large rock rumbling to conceal the entrance.

Though it was dark, she could make out the silhouette that lurked forward. "Keep going, un." He ordered and she did so. She continued walking, stopping as she came across the visible, plain, rock wall that told her she could not go any further.

"So..." She trailed, waiting.

Ino could hear his heavy breath as he spoke. "I want to talk to you about a few things, un."

"...Again?"

"Yes, again. I thought that maybe a room that was more secured could prevent me from going off if I was mad, un." He chuckled at his comment, but Ino bound her eyebrows in frustration. She didn't want to talk. No, it was...ergh.

She tilted her head. "...What do you want to talk about...?"

"Many things..."

Ino bit her lip. "Like...?"

"You." It was one simple word, but it scared the hell out of her.

"Me what...?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How do you feel about all of this...?"

"I..." She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Just speak, un."

The blonde hesitated. She was feeling many things. She was terrified, devastated and absolutely horrified about what would happen. But...that wasn't all. Ino was also hurt; though the lying affected him a lot, why did he...like being against her? She knew that that was_ not_ how he dealt with things. He was more likely too...blow things up. She'd seen it before; he was never the type to get into moody conversations. "Isn't it obvious?" That was the best she could do.

Through the shadows of the cave, she could see his eyes narrow. "No, not really, un. You seem scared, but there's something more."

_That's what pure sadness is. The feeling of being betrayed. _But as she thought those thoughts, something stabbed her. He felt the same way too. She had differed their situations; him being lied to, hers being abandoned, but in a way, she had betrayed him too. It was something they both had already thought about; _trust_. But what was she supposed to do...? She was stupid, yet smart at the same time. _Don't tell him. You'll make him angry. _"I'm..._mad._" Her voice choked near the end, absolutely denying the statement.

Deidara chuckled; yes, she was absolutely unpredictable. "Mad...?"

"..._yeah..." _

The Akatsuki member shook his head. She would never learn. Ino could feel the tension in the air; there was perfunctory, aloof and and easygoing edges, but behind that, she could see that there was upset, distrust and deadly anger. Not only that, even though it was hard to see through the dark, she could make out that from his expression that he _intended _for that. He wa_nted _her to see the mix between the insouciance and rancor...and _that _was exactly what she saw. _That _was what hurt her the most.

"Angry with me, un?" He smirked.

She looked down and bit her lip. "No." Her response caused his smirk to fade away. That wasn't what he was expecting. It'd be better if she was mad at him. "I'm...mad with _myself_." She didn't have to state why. Ino was sure that he already knew. But truthfully, she wasn't. It was a matter of survival or death, and even after the course of things went, it still wasn't enough. Not for her, anyway. And...Deidara saw through it. She wasn't mad with herself. She wasn't mad at all. It was all a pathetic lie. He could fully see that.

"Well?"

Ino lifted her gaze. "What?"

"Tell me something else." He ordered.

"I'm...uh, I..." She paused and hesitated. "don't like this..." She squeaked the last words, making them almost inaudible, but he could hear it. He caught it all, and those were the words he wanted to hear. That she didn't like this, that she totally hated it. It was..._perfect. _

He raised his chin, "Going to try to get yourself out of it, un?"

Again, she hesitated. "...No." And the words came out with full honesty. There was no point; Ino could do nothing more, so what was purpose did she have trying to escape the haunting base? Execution even faster? That wasn't what she wanted at all. The blond criminal flared his nostrils. What was wrong with her? At one point, she'd be enjoyable, and at another, she'd be dull, not fun.

"Hmph. What are you going to do then, un?" His voice was taunting, mocking the fact that she was trapped, isolated and was planning on doing nothing about it at all.

The Yamanaka shrugged, as if the topic showed no interest. But still, it did show much interest; she was only attempting to get him off her back. "Nothing. I'll...just wait for things to happen..." Her voice held uncertainty, another thing he used to identify her lie. She could hear him pace around, seeing the dim silhouette move, so if as on instinct, she followed, taking steps after him.

"...That's all?"

As she stepped after him, her feet shuffled together nervously, "...Yeah. I'm just doing to...do nothing..." The words came out so wrong, yet so true. It also made her sound utterly weak, which...she probably was. Sighing, she quickened her pace, placing her hand on his shoulder as if to halt him, which he in fact did. She jerked her hand a little. trying to shift him around. Deidara turned around, raising an eyebrow. "...Deidara..." She whispered.

"What else do you feel?" He spoke. Despite the words, the air was eerily silent...

The proclaimed 'pig' struggled for words. She was going to be honest. This time...she would have to be honest. Just for him...just for him. "I also feel..." She shook her head, not wanting to continue. Actually, there was no specific word for how she felt. Well, not that she knew of.

Her eyes widened as she felt her body move on its own, trying to _show _her feelings. Ino's eyelids fell over her eyes as she leaned in, perfectly aware that Deidara was right there in front of her. His eyes also widened as he felt her sweet breath creep closer to his face. _What's going on? _But all thoughts were erased as her lips laid against his. Her eyebrows merged in anger, frustration and...passion as her lips pressed deeper. Finally, his lips moved back against her, giving in and kissing her back while closing his eyes as Ino wrapped her slim, delicate arms around his neck. With each elapsing second, her lips pushed stronger, more forcefully. Deidara was surprised that it was even possible for her to use more force than she already had. He felt like his breath was being sucked out of him, being stolen..._She _was stealing it, and he...liked that. The feeling of it. Ino could feel her hands stroke his neck as his thick, heavy breath mingled with her own inside their mouths.

Eventually, things had to end and she gently pushed him away to get more air. He himself needed plenty of air. Ino turned away from him, stepping in the opposite direction too. _Maybe...things aren't too bad..._ She heard Deidara's footsteps coming closer. The Yamanaka began turning back around.

She was stopped as an arm locked around her. For a split second, it seemed affectionate, but then immediately, she realized it was _deadly. _

Ino gasped, freezing as Deidara's other arm laid a kunai's blade threateningly against the front of her throat with a short, sinister chuckle._  
_

* * *

**Ugh, I have yet ANOTHER question.. It's really starting to annoy me. But you know, I'm just the type that one small thing will make me bite. Heh. So I'd like to ask you guys another question.**

**CRUCIAL [Oh nooooo.]: Kay, how do I say this... Well, the storyline right now and the conflict. Do you think the reason of all of their troubles right now is reasonable...? I mean, is her lying to him about reading minds good with the storyline? I've had doubts right now. I seriously hope it is though, cause if its not, im screwed. D:  
**

**Reviews are like clouds, they appear occasionally and keep you thinking. x3**


	11. Hazy Sight

**A/N: I must say, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It felt really good, and was constantly on my mind. ^^**

**So, I hope you will think of it well, and well... enjoy. :D  
**

* * *

Her breathing was cloudy, thick and warm. Even so, her body felt immobilized, frozen and fatally cold. Daringly, she twisted her head, catching a glimpse of the frightening smirk on the blond criminal's face. Deidara let out another light laugh as he caught sight of her horrified eyes. Her arms shook; in fact, her whole body quivered with fear. Both stood still, the blade still lightly pressed against Ino's throat as the eerie, earsplitting silence droned on.

She forced herself to speak. "W-why...?" Her lips croaked, her voice shaky. "It was...only one, small thing..."

"To you, it may have been, un. Things are different with the organization and _I._" He breathed onto her skin, causing her to shudder even more.

The Yamanaka squeezed her eyes shut. "_Please_, don't hurt me..." Her voice was pleading, begging...displaying her true self; frail.

But Deidara had already seen that side of her. He simply shook his head. "That's a little too late now, un."

"_Don't..._" She whimpered.

"Hmm, I wonder...is this how you would've acted a small while ago...?" He asked, mostly to himself.

Ino didn't know what he was talking about. "What do you mean...?"

He calmly let his eyelids fall over his eyes. "Ah, that's right; I forgot to tell you, un." He shook his head, disapproving to himself, eyes still closed and continued on. "You see... You were going to die sometime, un. We had planned it."

Her cerulean eyes widened. "...W-what...?"

She could feel Deidara shrug. "After we had captured you, we decided that we'd murder you, un."

"...F-for what reason...? Did you guys know...this whole time...? No, t-that doesn't make sense... Why?" It was the second time she had asked that last word, but before she had not gotten a direct answer to it.

"Heh, you can be quite slow to catch on sometimes... But, well, we were _not _aware of your secret, obviously." His eyebrows sloped just the tiniest bit. "You were a mere tool to us. Once you had carried out what you were supposed to, we were going to kill you, un."

_As simple as that. _Were the words that rung in Ino's head to describe his tone. "...You knew?" She whispered, referring to their deadly plan for her.

Another shrug. "Obviously." _Still quite slow to catch on, hm? _The thoughts echoed inside his head.

Ino began to shift uncomfortably and not because of their still, secure, threatening position. His arm remained secure around her, as she began to bite her lip, drawing blood. Her feet shuffled against the stone floor as she fought against the urge to let the tears stream.

She didn't want to ask anything else, yet she _had _to know. "Wh-who? Who was gonna kill me?"

"Me, un."

Ino cringed. It was bad to ask that. The response just hurt her more. Apart of her pleaded that the kunai lying against her throat would not go any further, incising her, but also, another portion of her yearned to get it over with. Quickly, swiftly...not too painfully. But that was impossible considering how much grief, desolation and melancholy she was in.

Once again, the kunoichi forced herself to spit more words out. "What will you do...after?"

"I'd prefer if we just waited for Hatafuri-sama to recover, but...I'm going to abduct another Yamanaka. One who _can _invade others' minds, un." The words were partially taunting, but also a deep, low snarl resided for her.

_Dad..._ He was the only one she knew of that could actually use the technique, but for sure, there were much more.

Deidara continued on. "And then, we'll plot the same thing that we were scheming for you." Ino stiffened, much more than she had been at that moment. That meant...they were going to plan to kill...one of her clan members...? "I think I'll search at the Yamanaka Flower Shop." He simpered.

_...No! NO! DAD! _Holy shit, they were going to kill her dad! _They were going to kill her DAD! _And who knew who else Deidara would explode on the way there? Mom? Shika? Choji? Sakura? Who would get in the way? Who would survive? ...She felt terrible. There she was, hearing the whole idea, but unable to do anything. Standing there, allowing arms to bind her...the kunai was still at her neck too. Also, the tension was too strong for her; she could corrupt in any moment. The Yamanaka said nothing, she remained completely silent.

"No response, un?" He raised the kunai so that it was touching her jaw also.

She was shaking too much. Too unbearable just to stand there. Abruptly, she struggled with his grip, attempting to break free. Deidara was too strong for her, his grip remained as she continued to squirm. Ino could feel his grip loosen just the tiniest bit, but not enough.

However, enough for her to make one short movement. Taking her elbow, she pushed it into his abdomen with as much force as she had, causing him to let out a grunt and release her. Slowly, she took shaky steps back, stepping away from him with caution. He narrowed his eyes, but his expression gradually formed into a smirk. Something soft pressed against her ankle and she looked down to see a clay slug slowly sliding onto her. Screaming, she swung her leg around, attempting to throw it off. It was no use, and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the worst.

And it exploded.

Right there, on her leg. Ino's body was thrown back from the force, slamming into the wall as she let out a cry from both impacts. Falling roughly onto her bottom, she whimpered as her foot, ankle and shin smouldered with immense affliction. Lifting her head, she saw Deidara standing right there in front of her, arms crossed with a sly grin on his face. The kunoichi stumbled when getting up, however, she managed to by placing her hand on the wall.

She wasn't sure why she was being so..._not bothered. _Right in front of her was a criminal who had just admitted to planning on killing her, and was proceeding with that. So why? Why wasn't she scrambling away? Why did she look him straight in the eye? Why did she feel so...loose?

Both blonds stood there, mere inches away from one another, however did not do anything. Ino's eyes were apologetic and beseeching, begging him to stop. She stared into his icy blue eyes, her eyes igniting into Deidara's. Once again, it was silent; no sound was made. Until Deidara took his hand, quickly grasped her throat and smashed her back into the wall. Ino yelped, coughing from his rough clutch and whimpering with pain. She tried her best to get out, slapping his arm as hard as she could, but he just tightened his grip on her smooth neck everytime she did so.

Everything began to get blurry; she couldn't see the expression on his face anymore. Automatically, her leg whipped out, trying to connect with any part of his body, but she kicked nothing but the eerie air. The blond female started to gasp, still weakly slapping his arm but doing no damage at all. She couldn't see how Deidara was reacting either...

The grip was hard, strong and too much for her. Her nails dug into his arm, getting stronger with every passing moment. Eventually, they tore through his cloak, pushing into his skin next. She could feel blood leak down onto her hands...it wasn't her blood, was it? No way... It was his. He winced from the stinging in his arm. Gazing at Ino, he saw her eyelids were concealing half of her eyes; was she losing consciousness? She let out choked gasps, her nails still digging into him.

His hand released her neck, as she let out a loud cough and another gasp. Deidara watched as her hands crawled to her throat, rubbing wherever ached and breathing heavily. Was that it? Was he going to let her go? Hell no. Eagerly, he dug through the pouches hanging from his waist, retrieving the amount of clay needed into his hands. He wasn't sure what he would make, but it would have to be good. Had to be _worth it. _Ino looked up weakly, her vision still muffled and her stance utterly weak.

She felt like crying as she heard the mouths on his palms began to chew. She had to do something. But...what could she do? Shintenshin? No. Shinrashin? No. Maybe...she could think more clearly if she felt better. Taking her hand, she propped it onto her forehead, focusing her chakra into her palm. There wasn't much time to do this, but at least something would be recovered.

Deidara watched as the emerald chakra began to flow out of her hand. He recalled her mentioning that to him before. But even if she was trying to use medical ninjutsu, it'd be a complete waste. His fingers wrapped around the pieces of clay that had just emerged from the mouths on his hands, and began to knead. Something that would scare her...? Hm, perhaps. Or maybe something conveying...

Ino watched as he threw a white figure behind him, though it was too quick for her to register. She leaned against the wall, seated on her bottom with bruises. With one handseal, the unclear sculpture was immediately surrounded by puffy fogs. As the shady clouds began to clear, she was able to see what it was. A..._boar. Pig. _

It was a normal sized boar, milky white just like every other sculpture of his was. The pig faced her, staring at her blankly. "Hmm, nice, isn't it?" Deidara commented on his piece of work. The boar began to pace around, letting out rough _oink_s and snorting every small moment. She watch it gaze around curiously. "I suppose I based it on you, un." An insult. He really meant to say that she was a pig... She glanced back at it -her?- and noticed something...

There was a difference. A difference between the living clay sculpture and a _real _pig. Aside from the gruffy, non-attractive snorts, the boar was...beautiful. The steps that it took while ambling around were...graceful, lovely... It's face was...complete, absolute, but no where near simple. It was gorgeous and elegant, if you compared it to any other pigs. Texture, legs, tail...everything was flawless, smooth and utterly dazzling.

Ino snarled. No way should she be marveling at something that was created to destroy her. But...how could she not? It was the only other thing there besides Deidara and Ino. "Well?" His voice made her flinch.

"W-what?"

"What do you think of it, un? The inspiration should be able to comment." Inspiration...? Oh, he had said that he had based it on her just a moment ago... Did he purposely make it beautiful? Or was that his normal pieces of work, and she had failed to notice how fantastic it actually was...?

_Ugh! I gotta pay attention! This is a life or death situation here! _But...she couldn't. There was more meaning to this whole thing than what was being displayed. A groan interrupted her mental conversation and so she replied...as well as she could. He didn't expect her to be able to talk, did he? Not in her condition... "I-I...don't understand..." Part of it, she meant. "W-Why would you...waste your time...making something like_ that_?"

He cocked an eyebrow, unsure whether she was speaking of the making itself, or that it was based on her. "Are you saying _you're_ a waste of time?"

"...I might. But...I shouldn't be. It's only based on a name." She would've shrugged but her body was sore, weak and limp.

"No, it's not, un."

She didn't want to at all, but...she did so anyway. "What...do you mean?"

"Decipher the message, un."

She couldn't think too well. Her mind was throbbing and sore, and Ino's mind process was a little hard, but she tried her best. It wasn't her name... But it was based on her... It's not _only _the name. It was something else. Did he purposely make the clay boar gorgeous, delicate and wonderful? Aside from the rough, hog-like snorts, that is. "Is that what you think of me?" She whispered.

"What?" He smiled wickedly.

"Am I...beautiful to you?"

A smile touched Deidara's lips before returning to its smug state. "Yeah, un." That was contradictory to what he said about her looks... Seems like he says things when he's angry. Ino felt herself shake with her gentle laugh.

"Hypocrite." She muttered with a light chuckle...ironic in their current situation.

"Well, what else does it mean?" He questioned, ignoring her small comment.

There was more to it? "...W-what?"

"What else is there to my piece of work here?" He motioned to the strolling pig, that played with a little pebble, kicking it around and letting out husky oinks.

_Stay focused, Ino. This is still going to be deadly! He's still gonna kill you! _She urged herself inwardly. "...I don't know."

The golden-blond sighed, proceeding to explain. "It represents you, un." He stated.

"I know that."

Deidara shook his head. "There's more. You...give out powerful words, often straightforward, un. They're quite harsh, annoying and artless, however...hmm. Despite your words and attitude," He jerked his head to the boar who was now growling and snorting at the pebble. "You're much more...so much more. Ino, you're pulchritudinous and exquisite, and that's _just _your appearance, un. Truthfully...when it comes to your entity, essence and _character_..." Her heart struck against her chest rapidly, before deflating. "You're selfish, idiotic and have no artistry at all," He shook his head in disapproval. What kind of spiel was this supposed to be? Ino could feel her eyes get wet and liquidy; this was all mean. Every word that came out of his mouth -except the beauty thing- was cruel. "But...you're also complex...obscure..." ...Was that a good thing? That she was hard to understand? "And...for some strange reason, I really like that, un." He chuckled, a little devilishly, for some strange reason. "You're unique, in a good way. You're fascinating, surprising...pleasant. I enjoy spending my time with you, un. And that's what I love about you the most, un...Not your beauty; you're characteristics."

That was too much for her. Way too much. What was she supposed to say back? Especially while this was shot out during a killing moment? Wasn't she supposed to die...? It wasn't completely _romantic_ but again, it was not who he was. His words were more...touching. Pleasuring._ He...just speaks what he thinks. _She had already inwardly clarified that. "Why...would you tell me this now?"

He thought she was beautiful. Which pleased her well enough, even sorely in her state - but he... _adored _her character. Never had she felt so... touched by something as that.

He chuckled. "I guess I got a little carried away, un. I'm describing you and my recent, beautiful artwork for a reason..." Deidara glanced back at the clay pig. "...It's not _exactly _like you, however it surely displays a brief description of you."

Ino looked down, a little flustered...however her bruises made her forget that. They ached.

The Akatsuki criminal continued on...this time with a smug smile. "Watch, un." Her gaze trailed to the clay pig as Deidara formed one handseal...and it exploded. The waves of force were different than any other explosion of his that she was ever near. Rather than being a heavy force that destroyed someone with radiated direction, they were extremely violent, pushing into tangled directions messily with twisting power. Bursting with such heavy power that made her feel like she was being pushed through the wall. And then it was over. The...pig was gone. Thankfully, it was not near her, otherwise that would've resulted in a sudden death. "Do you understand, un?"

She swallowed. "That's the _reason_..." It was a representation of her... He was going to blow her up, _painfully, aggressively..._In a way that was just shown. _Violently. _

Deidara laughed. "Seems you comprehend then, un."

"Don't..." She murmured fearfully, though doubtfully. "...Not in that way." She added.

He scoffed. "There's no way in killing you if it's not going to be artistic, un." The words were so open. Her heart stung as she watched him reach for the pouches of clay. _Don't... _She repeated mentally; Ino didn't have enough will to part her lips and speak.

Reluctantly, the battered kunoichi watched as Deidara began to form even more artworks. Her vision was hazy and everything was unclear... She couldn't even see what he was making.

"Y-you..." She forced herself to say _something_, though she really didn't know what she was planning to say. Just something. "I...wh..." Ino swallowed, unable to speak explicitly. She felt warm liquid run down the side of her face; sweat. Her breathing was thick, cloudy, heavy as she _did not _prepare for the worst.

Deidara smirked.

Her sky orbs widened with a gasp as two white blurs swooped at her. Ino shut her eyes, letting out a diabolical scream. The white blurs erupted into immense, massive forces of power that shattered around her fiercely in scattered knots of blasts.

All in the same moment, the heavy force pounded her, suffocated her, gripped her, compressed her, crushed her, throttled her and ultimately, painfully strangled her.

* * *

The thick, smokey fog did not clear up quickly. In fact, it was the opposite; slowly. An elusive silhouette laid inside of the cloudy smoke, motionlessly. Or perhaps...twitching? Deidara couldn't tell; the dark puffs were too strong to see through. He lurked forward, ready for another set of explosions if she had survived that, though he highly doubted it.

Everything was clear, roaring at him. Ino Yamanaka was probably dead. And he was the killer.

His insides twisted, with his heart tightening... Why did he feel so...degrading? To kill her...? She was just another mere person that he had murdered... willingly. Why did he feel so regretful...? Hurt...angry... _corrupted. _

She was dead, right? He wanted to make sure. With every step he took closer to the body, the feelings deepened, eating at him even worse than it already was. Finally, he was only a few more feet away from the laying body, and stopped himself to observe once more. The fog was still thick and opaque, however a portion of it was clearing up.

Just enough to see thick, crimson liquid coat clumps of pale, blond hair. Deidara snarled, unsure to who and forced himself another step forward. That was all he could see. Blood-streaked hair. Deidara raised his foot, about to take one more step... He clenched his teeth at the tight grip of emotional burning_..._

Spinning around, he took steps in the opposite direction of the clearing puffs or smoke. The pain decreased, but not enough to be calm and soothed.

However, he was _definitely _going to come back. It didn't matter whether she was living or dead; he'd return later to _completely _destroy her.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you go! **

**I hope you liked that. :D**

**--Reviews are clouds in a soft sky. **


	12. Brisk Lies

**A/N: This chapter if not, not, not too exciting, so do not be expecting any major explosions and such. ^^**

**...It was _okay _to write...haha, well anyways, read on.  
**

* * *

Deidara made his way out of the damaged, stone room and into the hard corridor. His face was scornful and angry as he strode down the hall.

_She better be dead. _He thought. If she wasn't, he would just attack her once more. But those thoughts felt reluctant, unwilling and..._forced. _A growl escaped his lips as he continued to stroll down the hall, unsure specifically where he was going. Deidara stopped as a dragging, heavy sound filled the air.

A hunched figure appeared, pulling forwards toward Deidara with ignorance. The blond criminal chuckled. "Sasori no Danna, un." Deidara nodded as he walked past his teammate. Sasori showed no reaction to the partial greeting and continued on. The explosive artist stopped and eyed Sasori. "Solo mission, un?"

"It's better than being isolated with you." The low, rough voice spoke as the speaker continued to move ahead, increasing the distance between the two with every passing moment.

"When did you get here, un?" The blond asked.

Sasori let out a rough, scruffy sound before replying. "I just arrived, fool. Don't aggravate me as soon as I'm here." His voice faded as he faded within the shades of the cavern's narrow hallway.

Deidara scoffed at his partner as he began to walk again.

* * *

She saw darkness. Only that pitch black horror that threatened to trap her any moment. Or perhaps it already had. She could feel nothing; nothing around her, nothing apart of her. It was as if she was a floating spirit. Ino could not feel the touch of anything, nor could she even move her body. _Move. _She urged to herself, trying her hardest but failing. _Again. _Another unsuccessful attempt at doing anything.

What was going on? Everything was scaring her; why couldn't she do anything? Why couldn't she see? Why couldn't she smell? Why couldn't she touch? Why couldn't she hear? No control.

The sound of sharp edges clashing startled her, denying her thoughts of the inability to hear, but she couldn't physically react. Was that supposed to be a good thing? _Open your eyes. _Once again, she tried to follow her mentality's wants, unable to do so. The scratching and clattering of the blades continued on, creating a sharp, irritating, scratchy and screeching melody. _Shut up! _Ino wanted to yell, though she couldn't. The shrieking song of sharp metals did not oblige to her inward commands, and in fact, grew louder.

No... closer. Wait, closer? That was good. She was slowly getting her senses back...maybe. Finally, the grinding of the sharp edges were so close, squealing right next to her. _Open your damn eyes and shut that thing up! _With all of her strength, she tried to open her eyes again...wherever they were. _Do it again! _Ino was trying so hard, she could've cried. Finally, oh thankfully, her eyelids began to flap open slightly, catching a glimpse of actual color and spatial area. Her gaze was weak, with her eyelids immensely heavy, but she forced herself to open further.

The kunoichi's eyelids flew all the way up, the abrupt full light flickering at her.

"Well," An unfamiliar voice made her gasp. The voice was somewhat low, tedious, monotone, but seemingly expectant. "You're awake."

Ino laid there motionlessly, realizing that she was laying on the ground. She could feel now...good. Though, she continued to lie there, weakly. She struggled to find her lips and make them speak. "...Wh-who...are...you...?" She croaked the words, her voice highly scratchy and rough.

"An artist of eternal beauty."

"N-no...specifically..." It hurt to speak, but she had to know.

The 'artist of eternal beauty' let out a _hmph. _"Sasori."

Sasori, an artist... Artist... Clay... Deidara...

Ino gasped loudly, sucking in a wind of breath as Deidara's name pushed through her mind. _Deidara! _She could feel the moisture rise in her eyes, softening her sight more than it already was. _Deidara... You... you... I hate you!_

Where was that bastard anyway? "Where...am I?" Her voice was a mere croak.

There was no response. Placing her hands on the ground, she hauled herself upright, letting out a gasp at the stab that shot through her whole body. Forcefully, her eyes followed the person. His hair was an innocent shade of red, tousled just the slightest bit. She had to be honest; his face was flawless and beautiful, with eyes that seemed focused and pondered and curved lips. He was set down, looking below at his hands, holding an object that was unintentionally hidden behind the large sleeves of his Akatsuki cloak.

"Quiet." His coarse voice growled.

Ino flinced and looked down, attempting to pull her knees to her body but failing from the searing pain. Instead, she leaned limply against the hard wall, inclining her head slightly to observe herself. Her skin was clammy, however, in some areas there was a layer of light stiffness... The kunoichi looked down, a small gasp appearing from her parted lips as she stared at her skin and body. There, on her light skin, were streaks of dried blood. They created branching patterns all over her body, rooting into other streaks and ending at others. They were rigid, effecting how she felt as well.

The dry blood branched over her skin like a haunting symbol.

She eyed the man - or Sasori for that matter. Sasori was the source of the screeching noises of weapons; he was sharpening all of his senbon, kunai, shuriken and other dangerous weapons and utensils... All of that dangerous stuff. Oddly, she felt a little exhausted, though at the same time she wanted to have her questions answered.

"...What's goi-"

"Don't make me repeat myself." Sasori interrupted.

Ino stared at him for a short moment, before turning her attention away. The silence was awkward. She brushed some dust off her tattered skirt. Her body ached, and under the dry blood, she could see that her skin was swollen, pink and sore. Medical ninjutsu wouldn't work either; her chakra system was damaged.

_What time is it? Where's Deidara? What do you want with me? Are you here to kill me? Did Deidara think I was dead? _Well, she was quite close to dead. Ino gently placed her scathed hand on her abdomen; muscles were torn, organs were harmed. How the heck was she even able to sit? Her eyes flickered to Sasori once more... Did he have something to do with it? He was obscure enough.

"Stay here." The red head began to rose, exiting the room with light footsteps.

Now was her chance to escape! ...If Sasori found her, it wouldn't be too bad... Ino pulled her feet to herself, applying her weight to them with shaky movements. She shrieked at the tear in her body, falling back with a cry, her body still instinctively quaking from the wounded nerves. _Shit. _She breathed in steadily, careful with twisting her body as she gazed around. There were large figures leaning against the walls, surrounded by weapons... No, _puppets. _

Her heart began to sprint as she heard a familiar voice approaching from outside the door, though she wanted it to stop. "She's in here, un?"

"Indeed."

"Why the hell did you take her, un? You're interfering with her death!" Massive weight blocked her chest.

Sasori groaned. "Fool, do you really think all of it shows any significance to me?" The door began to open, and two men garbed in Akatsuki cloaks merged into the room. Ino averted her gaze, inclining her head so that the side of her face that had long bangs draped, concealing her whole face.

"Ino, un." He said. Her heart drummed maniacally, but she maintained her position, even though it pained. Deidara turned and faced his partner. "What do you plan with her, un?" His voice was a little harsh, though it wasn't too noticeable.

The puppet master answered with one word. "Art." With one single word, Ino felt chills creep around her body. More art? Did he...believe in explosions too!?

The blond criminal stared at Sasori for a small moment, before letting the words _fully _sink in. "_What_?"

"Art."

Deidara growled. "Why her!?" What was going on? Ino stole a glimpse of the two, registering Deidara's angered face and the flat expression on Sasori's. _Why her? _Again, what was going on? It didn't sound too good.

"Idiot. You requested art that would appeal to you. Of course, I would never do something as to oblige to your wants, but it seems as if this was a coincidence for me to pick her." _What? What are they talking about? What type of 'art' was their conversation's peak?  
_

"No, I suggested that you stop using mindless puppets, un." Deidara rectified.

The former sand shinobi let out a sigh of annoyance. "She's not going to be _mindless._" His eyes narrowed. "She'll be like me; Alive and everlasting."

The blond Akatsuki member clenched his fists. "She'd be weak." He retorted adamantly.

Sasori shook his head. "None of my art pieces are _weak. _I adjust them."

"Why do you suddenly need one more, un? I thought you never got bored of your current collection."

"I just stated that she would not be like the others. Yes, the girl will be a component of my collection, however she's going to be different. It's mere curiosity and the wanting to experiment."

Deidara snarled loudly. Ino gawked at them both. What were they talking about!? Did they not notice that she was sitting right there!? "U-um..." Ino cut the short silence. The golden-blond stopped and eyed her. Slowly, he lurked over, bending down and grabbing her by the wrist, then proceeding to pull her up. "Ou-ouch!" She screeched. Her body was weak, and the affliction was massive.

"Stop pulling, un." Deidara demanded as she continued to yank her arm back, despite the pain that took control. He continued to pull her along as she followed with frail, uncoordinated steps. Sasori blocked the doorway, sending the golden-blond a cold, but flat look. He pushed past Sasori, leaving the room with Ino's wrist in hand.

"_..._Let go..." Ino's body was slumping; slumping from injury and wounds. She couldn't walk anymore and collapsed onto her knees, her wrist still locked within Deidara's grasp. He tugged once, but she did not rise, but instead fell down to her side.

"Tch." He muttered as he bent down, letting her hold onto him for support to stand up.

The Yamanaka kept silent as she weakly ambled behind Deidara, clutching him to make it easier to even stand. Her feelings were mixed; she wanted nothing to do with the man in front of her...not after what had happened, but yet, she wanted to hold onto him, to grasp him for as long as she could. After a long moment of strolling, he held open the door for her. Her eyes widened as she took in the large, spacious stone room.

Letting out a whimper, Ino helplessly tried to yank her hand back, altering nothing.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, un." He assured her, though he wasn't sure whether it was a lie or the truth.

He watched as she gave him a glance, before hesitantly walking into the room. The door shut as Ino fell down onto one of the rags. The room was full of ripped and torn cloths and fabric; all of them absolutely worthless. Ino sucked in a breath, as she felt her thighs began to sting from too much movement.

"...What was that about?" She managed to whisper.

The golden-blond shook his head a little angrily. "...He wants to change you into something else, un."

"What _else_?" The kunoichi dared herself to ask the question.

However, the response was not too helpful. He took a seat against the wall across from her, propping his forearm onto one knee. "What he thinks is _art... _But it is most definitely _not _art, un." The words were quite bitter, a hint of decrying.

"But...exactly is this 'art' of his...?"

He let out a sigh, followed by a groan as he let his head drop, eyebrows furrowing together in anger. "Puppets. His art is puppets." Words filled with disdain shot out of his mouth. "The bastard believes that art should last forever, never fading, never withering away, un."

_Oh. They have the exact opposite views on art._ But then, a chill ran down her spine. "...He wants to turn me into a _puppet_!?"

"Yeah."

Ino gaped at him, utter shock rendering her frozen. After a short while elapsed, she composed her face, looking down and sinking back into the fabric. The whole beauty thing would be nice, and living forever would too... but, a _puppet_? Seriously? The image of Kankuro flickered inside of her head, before wilting away.

Deidara gazed at her curiously. "Well?"

But Ino didn't reply with words. She simply shook her head.

He pressed his lips together into a tight line. "I won't let him do it, un."

For a short moment, her heart lurched before dropping dead. Deidara wanted to kill her... which was exactly why. She was unsure which one seemed worse. Deidara frowned as she remained silent, no words spoken with eyes full of melancholy. "I won't hurt you, un." He reassured her. This time, when the words came out, he realized it _was _a lie. He _wanted_ to hurt her; the dry blood sticking crisply to her skin did not weaken that fact. He _wanted _to crush her. He _wanted _to annihilate her.

_I won't hurt you, un. _A glow of hope spread through her body, though there was also a spark of doubt along with it. "...Liar." She whispered forcefully, recalling his words from long moments ago. _You're interfering with her death!_

"What?" One eyebrow raised.

Ino shook her head, ironically laughing shakily to cool of the intensity of the air. "Nothing."

"Hmph." He didn't bother repeating his one-worded question. She wouldn't answer. "Get some rest, un. I want to speak with you a little more later." He rose, leaving the room without anything else to add or say. Ino cannily shifted her weight gradually, allowing the process to be less painful.

Perhaps things would not go as expected, when it came to her survival. ...Was that something good...? Or bad?

**A/N: And there we go...very boring chapter. Sorry!**

**--Reviews are highly appreciated. --- Plenty of authors say this. ^^  
**


	13. Care

**A/N: I am terribly sorry for this chapter. I had plenty of struggle writing it, and I had to get an extension on my time... And yet, even with the posting date extended to this day, it is still really sloppy. My apologies. I feel really bad about this. :[  
**

* * *

His eyelids were massively heavy, and he longed for them to drop anytime, capturing him into a silent dream... Yet, he fought against the temptation, keeping his eyes as open as he could manage. It was obviously twilight; Even if Deidara couldn't see the outside, he knew that it was dark out. Oh, how he wanted to sleep so badly... No. He was sitting there for a reason. Deidara was sat against a wall, next to the entrance to the room he had left Ino in. If Sasori ever came close to her... Then it'd be done. He would not be able to do anything more. Guarding someone he had just attempted to assassinate was ludicrous, he had admitted inwardly, but he would _never _let her be everlasting. Never.

The blond flinched as the door across the hall creeked open; Sasori's door, to be exact. Sasori's deep eyes flickered to Deidara's slumped body once, a ghostly smile crossing the red-head's lips. "...Persistent idiot." He muttered, as he slowly stalked out of the room. Deidara watched carefully at his movements, suppressing a sigh of relief as Sasori headed in the opposite direction.

Hesitantly, his hand crawled to the knob of the wooden door to his left, and when meeting it, twisted the knob. The door cracked open just the slightest bit, but enough for Deidara to peer in and see the Yamanaka's body sprawled against cloths, breathing heavily, but still fresh... in a way, ignoring the parched blood and bruises. He shut the door, hissing at the loud noise it made that echoed among the walls. He let out a sudden sigh, returning to his state of leaning against the wall.

When Sasori came back, he would sleep... Maintaining a sleepless posture was not something he wanted to do. So why was he so determined? Of course, _Ino. _His mind was seriously screwing with him; a con from the effects of no slumber. Light footsteps trailed closer, as Deidara whipped his head over to see none other than Sasori walking back to his room. The blond shot him a cold look, however just to have it be in vain as the puppet had already reentered the room.

One last sigh was released as he began to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Deidara woke up with a jolt as the sound of tearing echoed from the room next to him. Tearing... _rip, rip, shrreeiip. Shit! _Hurriedly, he scrambled up, frantically opening the door and bursting in.

Ino sat weakly in the center of the room, the cloths and fabrics surrounding her as she held a kunai in hand. A thin, white cloth was placed in her other hand, large rips through it. A wave of relief washed through him as he saw no redhead was in the room and that the noise was being produced by her. He scanned her from a distance; her abdomen was tied loosely with white fabric, as her shoulders were draped with red sheets.

The Yamanaka felt many emotions crush her. Some good, some bad; but all were devastatingly strong. She plastered a partially fake, weak smile on her face. "My chakra system is still healing... I have to settle with this for now." She explained briskly, slicing another rip in the fabric.

"Ah." He nodded. Deidara stood there motionlessly, watching her continue to tear through all her already-ragged sheets.

Ino didn't like his eyes watching her intently, but she stifled the urge to reprimand him. "...So, you'd like to talk?" She asked meekly, referring to his words the night before.

He pondered for a short moment before realizing what she meant. The abrupt, short feeling of regret hit him as he realized that he really didn't have anything to say to her. _Dammit. _He thought as she blinked patiently. "I wanted to warn you to stay away from Sasori, un." He ordered firmly. Though they were immediately made up from the spot, Deidara knew the words were true. She had to stay away from the guy.

"Um, I know that." Ino replied blankly.

"...Just to remind you." The blond male stated.

"...Alright." As soon as Deidara turned his back, her face fell. She was hoping for something more..._enlightening. _Something that could give her hope, or force her to ponder, or something that would make her feel...good.

The disappointment strengthened as the door clicked shut.

* * *

"Your arrivals are repetitive and irritating." The puppet's monotone voice commented as light footsteps came closer. He knew it was Deidara; the presence, chakra and aura was far too familiar, as much as he hated that.

Deidara snorted. "Whatever."

"What do you want?" Sasori turned around slowly, eyes boring into the blond's.

"You seem to make of it as nothing, un." He scoffed.

The puppet let out an aggravated sigh. "The girl?"

"Precisely, un."

"What is it now?"

The blond frowned. "What do you really want to do with her?"

"Haven't I already elaborated about that?" The puppet master shook his head. "She's going to be eternal; beauty that functions just like I." Simple words. They readily made Deidara angry at how brisk they were.

"No, your reasoning, un." He stabbed.

Sasori turned around, nonchalantly replying. "I already told you that I was curious. I'm experimenting."

"Besides that, un."

"You seem to think that there is more meaning behind my words."

"Because there is, un."

The redhead sighed once more, annoyance radiating from him. "Judging from what she can do, I absolutely wonder on how she'd turn out."

"That's curiosity, un." Deidara pressed.

The puppet continued on. "With that, I'd like to see how she'd react. How _you _would react."

He gaped angrily at his 'Danna'. "That's all, un? You're planning all of this for a display of emotion!?"

"That's only one major factor. There's much more."

"...What?"

Sasori shrugged, something he didn't normally do. "It's nothing that concerns you."

"Well, just tell me, un."

"She'll be used to our advantage. Missions, objectives..." He paused. "And again, your reaction. If she, particularly, were to accompany us on our every goal, I'd like to see whether that would change your ridiculous views on art, or possible enrage you even more about my own." A haunting chuckle escaped his stiff lips.

Deidara snarled. "Those are idiotic reasons to do so, un."

"They may be to you, but there could be much more to see later. Additionally, I already told you that there are plenty of more causes for me to do so."

Considering the tone, Sasori didn't think any of it was much; that completely provoked him. However...maybe he would not mind if she were not to be transformed. Deidara muttered unintelligible words before exiting the room.

"Imbecile." Sasori muttered to himself.

* * *

_Deidara, I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. _The direct voice in her head stated, though she was uncertain whether this was true or false. When she had woken up in Sasori's custody, that was the exact thought that appeared in her head. Was it because she was -mentally- hurt? Or, did she _really_ hate him? All of her feelings were tangled together; she hated him, she adored him, she was hurt by him, she was happy because of him...

How was she to identify which feeling was true? Or maybe they all were... for the moment.

Once again, she longed for him to come, yet, the small thought scared her too... He wasn't being directly kind to her; yes, Deidara was completely angered by the very thought of her being a puppet, but how was she supposed to distinguish whether that was because it was the opposite of his art, or because he cared about her...?

His tone from their short talks wasn't menacing, yet it wasn't friendly either...

She hated every little thing about this damn situation... Was he going to kill her or not!?

A deep swelling in her chest made it hard to breath. Yes, the rising skin was physically noticeable, but that wasn't it. There was a real, strong swell _within _her chest that was not possible for anybody else to see. An indefinite billow inside of her that had completely had no borders, no light, and no hope for anything whatsoever and who knew how strong the limit of it would be - if there even was one. How was she to gather answers when all the answers lied inside of her? That she was the only source that could possible answer her own questions?

A soft gasp ran through her lips as she recognized the familiar sound of the opening door. There were only two people that could possibly be the one entering, yet neither were ones welcome. She didn't dare raise her gaze; sight wasn't something she was pleased with every second. But with the intense feeling of being watched, she had to look up. Her mind was screeching with a deafening silence of fear as Ino stared at Sasori, who was standing at the doorway, not entering, not leaving. His gaze was heavy, deep and massively piercing; it broke through the wall of hope and confidence she had built up. He simply watched her for a short second before sauntering away.

Ino released a sigh, having it cut off short as footsteps tapped closer. "S-sasori...?" She questioned outwardly with fear.

"Deidara, un." The masculine voice clarified.

Gradually, the Yamanaka felt her head lift as she watched Deidara lurk closer to her. A stab of fear plunged through her as the distance between them slowly shortened. What would happen now? What was he going to do?

A chuckle startled her. "I've told you plenty of times that I won't harm you, un." He pointed out, catching sight of her fearful face.

"Oh, y-yeah." She laughed shakily, though didn't believe it.

Deidara arched an eyebrow at the uncertainty in her tone.

Ino dropped her head, looking down. "So...is there something you need?"

"I came to check if you were hungry, un."

To_...check!? _It had been several hours since she had eaten, and he came to _check. _"_Very._" She sighed.

He nodded, pausing for a small moment before heading out. The door was left open and she felt completely vulnerable; yet another feeling that she absolutely despised. It wasn't something she should have been frantic about, but who wouldn't be scared about turning into a wooden doll? Footsteps returned, rendering Ino stiff but as part of her had hoped and expected, it was Deidara.

Deidara arrived, striding into the large room and laying the tray of food down. The aroma was strong and hit her straight in the face, taunting her and calling her to reach over and devour it madly. She watched intensely as he placed the tray down and got ready to dig in. "Wait," she stopped herself, her hands mere inches away from the fork. "who made this?"

"Sasori, un." He registered the hesitation in her. "Don't worry; there aren't any poisons of any sort."

The kunoichi nodded, taking his word and began to take tiny bites out of the pork. "Why didn't-" -_swallow- "-you _cook for me?" Not picky - needy, she sounded.

He shrugged. "I've told you before; I'm not good at cooking, un. Not that I enjoy it either."

She nodded slowly, tenderly chewing on the rest of the pork as he stared at her. Ino raised her head, catching his gaze as he abruptly averted his eyes. After what seemed like an eternity -and Deidara was really showing his impatience-, she handed back the tray that held every food utensil. With a short smile and a grateful 'thanks', she watched him amble out of the room.

"You'll come back, right?" Ino asked, much hope in her voice.

"Hmm, fine." He answered curtly, body strolling out of the room.

What exactly was she going to do? When you had nothing but _barely _your sanity, how could you decide on how things worked? What would you do if everything was slipping away from your grasp? ...Family, friends, strength, love...

And everything to hold it together was a lie.

She could not get back to Konoha; there was explicitly no way. With that gone, the only thing left was her strength and love, yet it was all patched up with lies. How did the poorest of them handle such a filthy, damaging, terrible world? Ino couldn't hold it in; she trembled with every weep that was let out, along with the tears that began to stream and the swelling that rose even stronger than she was used. Each sniffle was filled with despair, as each shudder was filled with absolute fear.

"What the..." The padding tap of yet more footsteps rushed towards her.

She felt a pair of hands hold her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. One hand moved from her shoulder, a finger lifting her chin up as she gazed into the source of her collapsing life's eyes. She couldn't stop shaking; as much as she'd like to, the quivering would not stop. "Deidara..." She murmured through wet tears.

"...What happened, un?"

_Akatsuki. This. You. _"N-nothing."

He snorted - as if he could do something even more insensitive. "You expect me to believe something as damn as that, un?"

"...Yes."

In that single moment, he really saw how helpless she was - how absolutely gentle her nature was made. Ino struggled with untucking her chin from his light grasp; It was humiliating - _unbearable_ to let him see her the way she was. "Let go..." She whimpered. Something inside of him shattered.

He was not hurt from her slight 'rejection'. No. He was angry. Of course, she was upset - he could obviously see that! But having her be so upset and weak was so disappointing to see... Did she want him to leave? Obliging her requests, he released her soft chin, pressing his lips together into a narrow line as he rose. Ino widened her eyes at the action, taking in the notion. Leaping forward with such low pressure and weak strength, she was able to spring her upper body forward a few feet, her ribs protesting with an afflicting, immediate punch of sore. She managed to grab and clutch onto his hand, causing him to flinch.

Deidara turned around, widening his eyes at her. She looked at him, staring into his visible eye and silently begging him not to leave her. Her vision was clouded with the crystal liquid that shielded her eyes, but she quickly wiped it out with her shoulders. He didn't say anything. Hesitantly, he bent down, unsure on what to do.

"D-do you want to kill me?"

Once again, his eyes widened, and through her now clear vision, she was able to see so within his one visible eye. Perhaps the truth would be well... "...I don't know, un." And that was exactly true. Precisely. He did not know whether he wanted to kill her or not. The night before, he had lied to her, stating that he wouldn't harm her, though inside, he truthfully wanted to make her burn with pain as much as he could. But... that was different. In fact, his idea about the situation had altered just moments ago... When she had begged him to give her release. At that moment, the will to harm her cracked, leaving shards of the remaining wanting, still alive but weakened.

His wanting to kill her was reduced from knowing that she truly was weak - inside and out. What a terrible excuse, but one so very true...

"I knew it..." She sighed breathlessly, soaking the last of tears with a tattered, filthy rag.

"No... I-I...You- don't... I..." Had he really just stuttered? Did he seriously just struggle for words? "I really don't know, un."

"So...y-you lied last night, right?"

"Yeah."

Silence. Deidara despised silence but he did nothing to end it.

She sent him a limp, sad smile. "At least I know the truth."

_It's not a very good one - for your side. _His mind shot. "Yeah." He muttered, repeating the same word.

Ino began to crouch over, closer to lean on him. "I-" she sucked in air as she felt her sides stretch nastily, rendering her pained and hurt.

The Akatsuki member took note of this, but did nothing to help her. It took her quite a while to rectify herself, but at least she was able to for the most part. "Go to sleep, un." He ordered.

She didn't want to. Sleep was not an option. Not at this point. "Alright." She heard herself agree, wanting to inwardly curse at herself but not having the will to do so. Ino suppressed a sigh, shielding the disappointment that she held from him from his posture. He was no longer crouching in front of her; instead, he was fully seated. One knee was up with his forearm resting against, while the other was tucked with that arm slinging over his leg. Cuddling wasn't an option either.

Reluctantly, she crawled over to the peak of the mountain of rags, mind racing as she could feel the pair of eyes staring at her. After getting as snug as she could, she slowly pulled her ponytail out, closing her eyes shut with relief as she could still feel Deidara's presence.

Lies were wrong, but they made the oblivious receiver feel better - too bad she had asked for the truth.

* * *

**A/N: Tada! Another botched ending! :/ **

**Again, I'd honestly like to apologize for this terrible chapter. T.T I truly am sorry. **

**-- This chapter does not deserve any reviews, so do not feel the need to post one unless you really want to. :/  
**


	14. Shameful

**A/N: Gah, some of my plans for this chapter were delayed...  
I'll have to write them next chapter. :p **

**Well, enjoy.  
**

* * *

Eyelids flapping open was enough to completely blind her from the instant, flashing darkness that served as a darker light. Ino squeezed them shut, unwilling to start her day and forcing herself to fall back into slumber. But despite her efforts, it was completely for nothing. Sleep was unattainable now that she was awake. Groggily heaving herself up, she glimpsed around.

Disappointment struck her. Deidara was nowhere to be seen.

But that was supposed to be a good thing, right? Her tummy roared, demanding food and nutrients as she winced from the tight pain of her abdomen. The cloths were doing no good - they were basically a way to get the areas they were draping over warmed up and concealed. She examined her body; arid blood still coating in strange designs, bruises turning an unwelcoming purple with tinges of yellow and blue. Taking a whiff of herself, she cringed at the _horrid _odor radiating from _her _body! Taking a long, wide rag, she curtained her whole figure with it, unable to endure more moments of having to look at herself. And, hopefully, it might trap the odors or possibly replace it with its own.

Perhaps sleep was acquirable after all; her day would not start. There was no such thing within a hell like that.

With a dreaded sigh, she weakly fell back against her bed of tattered fabrics. _Ow! _Her head banged against the rock floor, creating a whimper to come out.

_Knock, knock._

A_s _fast as she could -which was quite slow, considering what she normally could have done- she raised her body, her mind racing with the possibilities of what would happen within the next elapsing moments; possibilities that were real and unreal, bad and good. "Deidara...?" Ino called, finding that she had spoken the name plenty of times before.

"Sasori." A low, _very _low, deep, chilling voice replied back from the other side of the door.

_No! _What could she do? "W-what do you need?" She asked hoarsely.

But there was no response. Instead, the door flew open, slamming into the wall behind it which shattered and crumbled a few of the walls portions, creating dusty pebbles that fell lightly, landing on the cold ground. Rather than seeing a bodily figure walk in, she gawked at the short, hunched creature. It hauled itself in, garbed in an Akatsuki cloak that traced the round features of it's...back. The body was huddled together, displaying a large back that hunched against the head. No arms and legs were fully seeing, being hidden by the large, loose cloak. It's hair was wild; dark hair like sticks and shards curved around the head like a broken fan.

It dragged itself forward, closer to her, but not quite _close _in direct terms of distance. Dark, cold eyes slid around, observing the room.

"He's not here?" The monotone voice growled. Ino flinched; it was Sasori.

"...um, no..." She responded, referring to Deidara and hoping that he was too.

He let out one last snarl before dragging back out of the room, door left open. Just as he left, he shot her one cold look - a glare that pierced through her, sending wicked chills all over her skin. "For future reference, do _not _anger me the way he does."

She was alone once again, and this time, it was a relief.

* * *

_Future reference? That means he's going to keep me alive, right? No - he just wants to...turn me into a _puppet. _Deidara said that he believes in eternal beauty, meaning that I _have _to be alive in order to be that. But...that doesn't change the way that Deidara feels! He still doesn't know whether he wants to kill me, and he didn't mention if he was _going _to either! _Ino swallowed. _And what if the leader guy doesn't approve of it? He has control, doesn't he? The leader would want me to be killed._ _Deidara..._She lay against the mountain of dirty rags, mind wandering about the current situation.

"...Deidara." She whispered, echoing the her thoughts.

"Yes?" The voice made her jolt, springing up, as painful as it was. Under the door frame of the open door she could not reach to shut, the very man that owned the name she had just spoke was standing there.

"No, it's nothing." She shook her head weakly, a new thought popping into her head. "Sasori was looking for you." She added.

"Hmph, I already talked to him, un."

Her heart fluttered as he approached her slowly, getting closer. Though she didn't want to say it outwardly, she also didn't want him to be in disgust once he got near. "I-I, um, I'm not clean..." She stated bluntly.

He stopped, studying her from a short distance. "You're right; you're quite dirty, un. You can get cleaned up."

"R-really? I can?" Her eyes lit, flaring brightly.

Deidara nodded, motioning for her to get up and follow. She hastily scrambled to rise, her knees shaking wobbly with her arms weakly supporting, abruptly clutching his arm for support. Ambling limply behind Deidara, Ino began to gaze around, seeing nothing but darkness and stone fused together. After several moments of walking down the corridor, he halted and she mimicked his stop. The door was invitingly open, begging her to step in. Despite the pain that occurred whenever she made movement, Ino gladly walked into the small, sanitizing room.

* * *

Shutting the door behind her, she briefly observed the not-so-spacious room. Like the other bathroom, it was quite small, though bearable. Lifting her arms, she grabbed her shirt and pulled it off her body, rushing it to stop the soreness that irritated her skin. She let out a small, soft groan as she continued to strip herself down, enduring the deep pain. She glanced at her naked body in the mirror, which was even worse than what she thought. After taking the tie of her hair out, her head whipped around, allowing the lengthy, blond, luscious strands to curtain her face.

Hastily, Ino initiated the water of the tub, allowing it to rise until it was good enough for her preferences. She didn't have to be rushed, right? Obviously Deidara wouldn't rush someone who was injured, would he? Brushing off her thoughts, she blissfully stepped into the warm water, absorbing the relaxing heat. Ino let her body sink to the bottom of the tub, the water just below her bare shoulders. "Mmm..." She murmured, allowing her eyelids to shut.

A tingling sensation dominated her smooth skin, fighting against the retching, dry blood and soothing her at the same time. As time went by -she wasn't sure how long- the tingling turned into...tickling - tickling that poked at her skin, transforming into an irritating annoyance. Her eyebrows narrowed over her closed eyes just the slightest bit as she let out one last sigh. The tickling began to strengthen, turning into something that completely barricaded the relaxation away from her and disturbing her even more. Ino was _burning _now. An unpleasant, _searing_ pain attacking and puncturing in a strange pattern.

Her eyes flew open, glancing around at the water. Ino gasped, realizing the situation. The formerly transparent water now had streaming streaks of soft, cherry red liquid flowing through it. And it was _way _too much to be just the dry blood. Her eyes wandered through the tub, searching for the source though she already knew. Her eyes fell onto her body. Through the ribbon-like dancing of her blood, she could see them flowing out of the slices that had scathed her curvy figure.

Cuts, slices... Blood seeping out of them. Her body stung - stung quite badly. Along with the sores and aches of her body, this was now added to the building pain, completely afflicting her with much force.

She cringed as each elapsing second forced the stinging to get much stronger. Wincing, she propped her hands onto the side of the tub, pushing force onto her palms so that she could rise. It didn't end up very well; her arms had suffered far too much from the movement of the day and fell over, causing her to collapse back into the water and sending swishes and waves of water splashing. With a groan, she pulled herself back up into her seating position, the stinging just worsening and really smoldering her.

Her torn, weak muscles did not help at all either. Trying to prop herself onto her feet, she once again fell over, frailly. Perhaps it'd be best to let Deidara help her... "D-Deidara... um," She croaked, hoping that he'd still be out on the other side.

"What, un?" She heard him call, relief _and _regret striking her.

Was she really going to ask him! Almost calling _him _to aid her while she was _naked_! "Uh, n-nevermind!" She called back hoarsely, wincing from the non-stopping and tormenting gripe of the pricking burn. Having it mix with her current injuries was absolute hell.

Deidara, on the other side of the wall, snorted. What the hell was going on?

With one last sigh, Ino again, attempted to pull herself out of the tub to get away from the deadly water. She let out a muffled cry of relief as she was able to escape it, pulling herself over and out of the bathtub, though it did not stop the pain that stabbed her. Glancing at her wet body, she could see the wet blood trickle down her figure, mixing with the water and creating more realms of pain. Her damp body crashed into the wall, leaning against it as she panted heavily._ Whoa, how could just one bath do all of this to me? _But the explanation was obvious. She was a medic-nin after all.

Limply grabbing a white towel at the corner, she slowly wiped herself with it. The feel of the texture gently grinding against her skin did no good; it just made everything worse. Having it touch the cuts pricked her like a needle... as much as she hated to admit it yet another time, she was a weakling. She was a shinobi and a bath was taking her down. But things were different; shinobi work and life work were different things and surely, she couldn't compare herself like this to a _death _situation.

_Ugh. _Her mind was messing with her. Steadily, she began to allow the towel to absorb any liquids, taking in the immense pain that shot at her. Ino was exhausted; there was no denying it. Taking a bath at the time she did in her current state was a terrible idea. She fell down, her body slumped against the wall as she weakly tried to wrap the towel around herself, thankfully able to tuck it in. But still, it didn't change much. "...Deidara..." She groaned, flopping her hands on the smooth floor. "Deidara...!" The Yamanaka called louder, surrendering to the debating of the notion from before.

"Yeah?"

Reaching her hand up to the side as the weight of her arms almost brought them back down, her hands slipped on the knob. "C-come help me...please."

Her chest beat madly as the knob twisted with clicking sounds, opening forward and in stepped the cause of all her injuries. He glimpsed around, eyes landing on her body which was draped half on the wall, half on the floor, quite shamefully to add. Quickly, he registered the leaking blood that blended with the water along with her bruised body, most of her hidden behind a wrapped towel.

On reaction, Deidara crouched down by her, allowing her to sling her arms over his shoulders and letting him haul her back up onto her feet, arms remaining around her as he help support her balance. "Nrnngggg...!" She protested, insisting on another method.

Sighing, he scooped her whole body up, rendering her mind dizzy. It took Ino a long moment to realize that her surroundings were not the bathroom, that she was in the hallway and that her body was floating with something supporting her up. Turning her head, her face met his chest, Deidara's cloak being oddly warm for her. She inhaled deeply, taking in his dark, clay scent. The flickering burn was beginning to tame, soothing out and giving her obvious relief. Ino liked the feeling of him carrying her - the boldness of his rough arms cupping below her body.

And just as she was about to fall into another feel of bliss, things ended too soon. He gently laid her back on the familiar bed of cloths. Ino's eyes were soft and Deidara's eye met them. Despite his bangs and scope blocking everything, she could feel his eyes smolder into her. Draping her arm around her neck to prop herself up, she gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks." She commented, recoiling her hand back to hold onto the towel. Maybe if it had been cloaking her whole body, besides being wrapped under her arms, it would've been safer to reach. "Um, c-can you get my clothes...?"

The kunoichi smiled to herself as he left the room.

A thought crossed her mind - what was going on between them? Yes, they were still recovering from that incident (and Ino was not going to let it go either), but... did he feel affectionate about her? Did he still carry those lovely feelings? She felt herself sigh for what seemed like the tenth time that day. And... how did _she _feel about Deidara?

As if on cue, he strode right in, carrying a bundle of clothes. She had almost called him when she had trouble in the tub... The very thought of Deidara seeing her naked was enough to completely make her grow red and shift undecidedly in her seat. One side of her was relieved that he saw nothing, yet another was quite disappointed... Maybe she co-

"Well?" His voice interrupted her lewd thoughts. Ino's head snapped back to Deidara, slightly flustered. Her arms wrapped tighter around the towel, secretly tucking the end in more securely. One slip, and she could have everything -_every part of her-_ revealed.

Deidara gazed at her. He had never seen her that exposed; it may not have been much, but that towel didn't have that much protection compared to her regular clothing. Quite a weak way to conceal yourself also... From the moment his foot had stepped into the bathroom, while helping her, his heart had panged with an unfamiliar temptation, but was somehow engulfed by the bitter alertness that spread across him. But that was done now. She was there. Only a towel. Bare He bit his lower lip, urging himself not to let his thoughts wander onto new lewd, lustful thoughts. "I'll leave you now, un." He said, leaving the room to give her some privacy.

Disappointment washed through her, along with the after waves of embarrassment. Sighing, she took the bundle of clothes in her arms that was left on the ground, pulling them apart, taking her towel off and struggling to get the attire on. After taking several minutes squirming into her garment, Ino was finally able to pull her hair back up, allowing her bangs to fall and drape over her half of her face. It wasn't a complete clean-up... but it was better than what she was before.

_Hmm, when Deidara said he was going to leave me alone, did he mean as in for the whole time? Dammit_! Instinctively, her heart pulsated dubiously, taking her chances of receiving even more disappointment, or more relief. "Hey...are you there?" She called.

_Darn, he's gone. _

_

* * *

_Ino had had quite a fantasizing dream, one that was strung to the bathroom incident earlier that day. She woke up, flushing with a deep shade of crimson as the dream replayed through her mind. In search for the towel, she caught sight of it on the ground. The shade of her cheeks strengthened - it had been a while since she had a dream _that... intense._

"Ready to eat, un?'

Ino yelped at the voice that sliced the silence. Glimpsing around, she saw Deidara sitting casually in one of the corners, a tray of food by his side. Her eyes widened at the warm aroma that spread across the air. He let out a light chortle at her absorbed expression, taking the plate and rising. With only a few steps to get to her area, he set the food down, watching her with his own enraptured expression. Eagerly, she began to slurp the noodles of ramen into her mouth, a face of delight plastered.

Though for some strange reason, she could feel a thrill about knowing he saw her clothed in _only _a towel. The excitement bounced inside of her, giving her quite an enthusiastic vibe. It was such a twisted, depraving feeling but it wouldn't wipe off. She swallowed the last of it, pushing the tray away from reach. Deidara cocked an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

"I don't want you to leave." She whispered, a tone of exhilaration visible, despite the soft volume.

The golden-blond laughed. "Mm, I wouldn't leave that easily, un." He voiced, taken back by the comment he had just made, but yet, how very _true _it was.

Ino found herself giggling lightly, flushing with smooth embarrassment. "Ah, I...heh." She smiled sheepishly, smoothing her skirt out. Oh how she wished she could've been wearing the towel at the moment... Pain or not - it was _so _worth it. Again, the Yamanaka inwardly scolded herself for such thoughts.

* * *

She was falling asleep... her eyelids drooping over her eyes. Maybe cuddling with Deidara _tonight_ would be possible...

Deidara said nothing; what was there to say? Ino abruptly noticed the silence, finding it the perfect moment to ask one single question that could shatter the semi-beguilement of the moment. "My death..."

He sighed, eyebrows binding. "What, un?"

"I-I...well, I was just wondering..." She looked down, arms wrapping around her stomach. "Did you...plan on killing me...when you tried to?"

"...What do you mean?" How could two simple words change their silent conversation into _this_?

Ino sucked in the air. "Did your leader order you to kill me...recently? Or did you...try to your own?"

"...I was planning to before consulting with him, un. After speaking with him, he told me to murder you like I had planned...beforehand."

Her heart fell, faltering lifelessly. "Oh."

"Don't worry," he whispered, "You're alive _now._" When in his life had he ever felt so sympathetic? If never?

"_Now._" She repeated, eyelids finally claiming the ability to shield her eyes shut. _No...Don't fall asleep._ She impulsed herself. Deidara could see her exhaustion, getting up and backing away. As much as she would've liked to defy his movements, Ino slowly collapsed, falling into a deep sleep.

"Now..." The male blond repeated after her, pensively.

* * *

**A/N: That was a real crappy ending.. ^^ Hmm, I wonder how long it will take for me to put some M-rated content in this as I planned in the beginning. ;D  
Know this -- it will come sometime, though I'm not sure when. Tehee.  
I'd also like to mention that the next chapter may come out a little later than my usual timing.. I just re-read  
my first few chapters and realized how much they sucked. ^^ So i'm gonna work on them a tiny bit. :]**

**Review, please . xoxo. **


	15. Simply Complex

**A/N: Oh, I must say I had a wonderful time writing this chapter, even with my lazy moments and unwillingness. **

**So, I really do hope you enjoy it. Plans for the chapter from before were put into this one, since I didn't have as much room as I wanted in that last chapter. :] **

**Yup, so here it is.  
**

* * *

_There. _Her thoughts complimented, as she neatly tied one last rag around her wrist. She had to retie them all, as she had removed them before her bathroom incident. As an addition, she had even added some on her ankles, arms, and so on. Embarrassing as it was to have such an odd display, it made her feel better. But even so, the grip of soreness still clung onto her, weaker from the comfort provided by the fabrics, yet still strong. It was some time around late afternoon; she had slept almost through the whole afternoon, being trapped inside of her nightmares.

Deidara, again, was somewhere away from her when she had awaken, and his whereabouts were still unknown. Ino felt slight rejection, though she was also aware that she was only being rapacious and needy. Sasori had dropped by a little while ago to hand her some food, thankfully not even looking at her. All seemed well - for that situation.

At the most, everything was a mix between boring and better.

It was lighter that day than usual, though the blond found it strange to find light surprising within a dim room like that. Gently laying back down, she shielded her eyes, shifting her body to get in the most comfortable position for a nap. Most definitely arid, however there was nothing better to do.

* * *

Waking up from a strong tingle, Ino shot right up, breathlessly gazing around. The eerie silenced carried on as her pulse deliberated. _God, what an amazing dream. Why did I have to wake up? _Her eyes trailed around the room fastidiously, scanning each viewable detail. With nothing serving as suspicious, her joints began to loosen, only to have them turn rigid right after once laying eyes on the dark silhouette. Immediately, she sucked a sharp intake of air in, glancing fearfully at the unforeseen figure. Ino's cerulean eyes began to absorb the true colors and complexion behind the darkness, immediately recognizing the shades.

"Deidara," she breathed. Why did he always unintentionally scare her?

The golden-blond snorted, releasing light snickers. "Took you long enough, un."

"Listen, if you're going to stare at me in my sleep, then be reasonable about how I'd feel." She said, eyes fixing into his one visible eye, though it was as if his bangs and scope were a mere crystal wall; it hadn't been the first time she felt that way either.

He could easily tell that the austere tone in her voice was nothing more than a way to hide what she really felt - he could tell that she would've rolled her eyes along with the comment. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, un."

"Where were you this mornng?" She inquired, curious with his answer.

"Checking on the captives, un." A nonchalant shrug followed the reply. "Sometimes I have to knock them out, un." A chuckle escaped his lips while Ino shrunk back in her lumpy seat. She was a captive, wasn't she? Not in the situation as the others... but still. Deidara was unaware of her discomfort, a dignified smile still plastered on his face.

Her mouth opened to say something, though he beat her to it. "You must be bored in here, un." He gazed around with disregard.

"Yeah, I am." Obviously. Being isolated within a dark room in a cave wasn't exactly 'fun'.

"Do you want to go outside, un?"

He was...giving her a chance with nature? "Really...?" She asked buoyantly, eyes widening with shimmering hope.

Deidara shrugged. "If you'd like, un."

"Sure!" She responded, blithely. He began to rose as Ino did the same. Before exiting the room, she untied all the rags - it'd be better to experience the outside _whole_. Quickly, she scurried after him. She could feel the tips of her lips quirk into a fluttering smile. She'd be able to stroke the flowers, step in the grass, taste the breeze - all while being sun-kissed. She strode after him, sparks of elation bursting. They reached a dead end, though Ino was quite sure she knew what would happen next. With one handseal, the wall began to disperse, quaking with movement but eventually creating an opening.

At first, all there was was a bright flash that lasted a fraction of a second. Abruptly, the bright light struck her. The brilliant radiance was strong, intense and _painfully _blinding. Averting her gaze instantly, she grabbed Deidara's arm, shoving her face into his shoulder. "W-what is _that_!?"

He smiled mockingly. "It's only the outside, un."

She didn't dare raise her gaze, missing his simper, as the luminescence was far too strong. "What...?"

The kunoichi could feel his body began to shift, moving forward. Unwillingly, she pulled away, holding onto his arm for guidance while looking away. She opened her mouth, "How can you _handle _that?"

The blond criminal let out a sigh - a mix between exasperation and amusement tangled along with it. "It's _your _eyes." He said, as she blinked, clueless. "You've been in the cave for too long and your eyes have adapted to that dark lighting, un. Right now, they're too sensitive for a light like this."

"...Oh." She sounded so stupid. Even with the brief explanation, she squeezed her eyes shut. Their footsteps continued until she could feel the soft earth beneath the soles of her feet. A sweet aroma filled her nose as she breathed blissfully. _Flowers._

"Open your eyes; after looking around for a little, you'll get used to it, un."

With a large exhale, she followed his simple instructions, her eyes flapping open. Again, the glowing fluorescence flickered at her, rendering her dizzy and light. Her eyes squinted, wincing at times but eventually, everything slowly twisted into direct, absolute colors.

She sucked in a large whistle of breath, eyes wandering around. Aside from the cave behind them, which was now concealed by the returning rocks, everything was gorgeous. The sky was a fruity orange - a mix between gold and apricot with the gleaming Sun hovering in the sky, lower than usual. The grass was emerald green, tiny flowers flourished around it. "Pretty." She voiced.

Deidara's gaze flickered to her face, examining at every thing about it. Her face was in awe, passion and utter excitement. "Hmm."

"Why does it look so nice, huh?" She glanced at him, wording her thoughts with a bouncy tone.

He shrugged. "I guess it's just the sunset." She had to agree; even with a cerulean sky, it wouldn't have been as nice. "And you like flowers, un." He added, a smile playing on his thin lips.

"Yeah, I like flowers." She tittered, releasing his arm and striding towards the blossomed plants. He could feel himself scowl at her sudden ignorance of his presence, but stood in spot as he eyed her curiously, expecting something fascinating - after all, it was natural that she entertained him.

Ino's smile was genuine, as her fingers gently grazed over the stem and petals of the colorful flowers. Occasionally, she'd bend down, lightly sniffing a variety of them. There were some she was careful with, doing her best to avoid them. Poison, he thought. He watched her actions intently, as she began to weave her fingers around the stems, tugging them out of the grass soil.

Slowly, his eyes began to drift over her figure. It was no doubt recovering - red streaks marked her skin, blotches of violet bumps. However, her movement was stronger, faster, more willing. Deidara's gaze roved over her body, tracing her curves and wandering around skin. Undeniably beautiful, she was. Though he had thought of it many times, it still surprised him the slightest bit; normally, people weren't appealing, though it seemed as if she exclusively broke through that.

Ino's face lifted, catching Deidara's stare at her. For a short second, she blinked in response but her expression instantly twisted into a sly smile. Deidara quickly turned his head, failing to hide his slight embarrassment. His eyes flickered to her once more, regretting it as she sat there, smile on her face. She motioned for him to come, which he reluctantly did.

After settling next to her, she giggled with high pride. "So, I caught you staring at me." Ino winked at him.

"Tch. Is it that important that I _looked _at you, un?"

She laughed at his weak defending statement. "_Staring_ at my _body_." She snorted.

Deidara blinked. Who knew going outside could change her so much? In the hideout, she'd be a little weak when it came to attitude, but now...

"I wasn't, un." Of course, he knew truthfully he had been, but it wasn't _just _her figure; he was viewing her beauty in general. Besides, when he _was _gazing at her physique, he was tracking down the beauty of her whole body also - not a lustful intent as she had interpreted.

"Yeah right." She snickered with a persistent manner.

He sighed. "It's not that big of a deal, un." The words represented his surrender; Ino could tell from his submissive eye just before he looked away, along with the state of his voice and sigh that came before it.

She leaned back, palms supporting her weight. Deidara couldn't help but look at her once more. She stared back, eyes glimmering with mirth, cheeks flushed pink - evidence of her own slight embarrassment. Deidara could do nothing but have a smug smile dance across his lips. He could see her contentedness also; her own smile displayed her satisfaction with the idea of him eying her. And even if it wasn't the notion she had expected, he knew she would've been just as glorified if she learned that it was to examine her aesthetics.

"Well," She breathed.

He glanced at her. "What?"

Ino shrugged. "Nothing, really..."

Deidara turned his head forward, staring at the flapping birds of golden-peach sky - a nice sight; Oh, how he wished he could blow the whole sky up. The Yamanaka next to him leered at him, gazing into his face. Her stare touched the contours of his face, marveling yet _another _time at how handsome he was. She could feel her heart flit longingly, lustfully and undeniably passionately. The fervor was strong, bouncing inside of her. Slowly and instinctively, she reached forward, touching his arm.

He instantly flinched, turning his head back to hers to meet her eyes, soft as butter. An impulse began to build up in her, and she could feel her resistance begin to crumble.

Forcefully, her grip on his arm tightened, but before he could questioningly respond, she had lurched forward, pushing her lips against his. He did nothing, sitting there motionless.

The lust was building up inside of him, and she could feel him loosen. Eventually, he could no longer hold it in and kissed her back, displaying no resistance, no hesitation, and no consideration. The intense frizzes that shocked his body were strong, as he willingly pulled her closer. Ino could feel the tingles creep on her, and it motivated her even more. She deepened her lip movement, Deidara's moist lips curving with approval. Long moments of their endearing interaction passed, and both were no where near intending to stop. Jolts were erupting with shrilling anticipation while she stroked his arm, unaware of the temptations she was giving him.

It was hard to discolor her glowing, crimson cheeks at the grunt of objection he made as she pulled her soft lips away; a spark of thrilling pleasure passed by her as he gazed at her, longing with desire. She was panting from their fierce kiss, face hot with rising color. He inhaled loudly as well, still gazing at the Yamanaka with wanting eyes.

Abruptly, she grabbed the color of his cloak, yanking him forward as she severely rammed her mouth back onto his. His hand immediately clenched her hair, more specifically the long beautiful ponytail. He could _taste _her as Ino's heavy breath floated in his mouth, and the feeling of it was fulfilling. His other hand curved over one side of her waist, delighting her. Deidara was shocked, surprised as she unexpectedly hauled her body over him so that she was on top, distinctly straddling his lap.

He was pushed back by her bold move, pulling the hand over her waist back to support his weight as Ino placed her hands on his shoulders. Never had she'd been in such a valiant, powerful position with him; well, at least not in such a _directly _intimate way. But it excited him; he let out another grunt, this time of liking and appreciation. Ino grabbed fistfuls of his cloak, clinging to him from lips to body; _oh, _she was so _tuned into him. _Everything felt so...wonderful.

Words began to run through her head, urging her to stop. This was wrong; _this was so wrong. _But it didn't matter. She liked it. He seemed to like it. It was wrong, but in such a _good _way. Deidara blinked with trilling shocks as she released her clenched his hands on his cloak, moving them to pull down the thick collar of his organization's uniform, and then proceeding to plant her lips on his now-revealed smooth neck, inhaling his clean, clay scent in the process. He bit his lip; who knew what embarrassing sound would've escaped.

_Dammit. _Her muscles were getting sore; her injuries were not fully recovered, and to have to hold and balance her own weight off, even when sitting -straddling- was incredulously exhausting. But, no. She wasn't stopping. Not yet. Her mouth swept back his pair of lips, kissing him once again. Deidara placed his hands on her waist, as Ino's hands released his collar, laying them on his chest. She could feel it lightly heave in and out from his deep breaths. There was no particular reason to, but she stifled a smirk against his lips.

And then, suddenly, something roughly textured, but yet, soft and _absolutely wet _began to stroke her sides - or precisely her waist. Yelping in surprise and slight fear, she leaped back, off of him, landing roughly on her bum. He sat there, recoiling his arms and raising a knee to prop his forearm on, blinking, but unknown to her, suppressing a devilish smile. She carefully examined him, quickly seeing the grin of the mouth on his palm - not his face, his palm.

"_Ugh! _I forgot about _those_!" She squealed scornfully.

Deidara let his wicked smile appear. "Hmm, I didn't think you'd react so quickly, un."

Ino flushed, the feeling of regret mustered up with a mix of embarrassment. "I-I... err, you shouldn't have done that! We were... um, in a really... strong situation...!" She pressed sheepishly, scrambling for a good comeback mix at his slight ignorance to her comment about his hands; well, the mouth _on _his hands. However, the main purpose was to protest on ending their heated kiss.

"Aah, don't blame this on me, un." He cackled. "You were the one who retreated." He knowingly commented, slight taunting in his tone.

"I...didn't mean to!" There was nothing else she could say. "Anyway, you should know better than t-to... _lick _people with your hands... during a time like _that._"

"Why are you reacting _now_?" He shrugged, quizzically looking at her with immense amusement, his eyes sly. "I've done it to you before, un."

It took her a brief moment to take in the words. "_What_!?" She screeched, looking at him with horror and disgust.

Deidara's smug was smile. "When we were capturing those who held vital information, you slept close to me."

"I-in my _sleep_?"

"Yes, un."

She drew a deep breath. "What the hell is wrong with you!? Do you know how...how _invading_ that is?"

He chortled. "It wasn't like I was _feeling _your body." He rolled his eyes at such nonsense. Ino could feel her cheeks go red. "It was simply your hand, un. Besides, it's not like you felt it or it will effect you in any way." A smile crossed his lips.

"...Hmph!" She huffed, attempting to seem adamant but inside, knowing that her defiant decrying was somehow gone.

Ino mustered the strength to get up, successfully doing so as she glanced at him, unsure on how to react. One part of her was absolutely disdained at the thought of one of those _disgusting _tongues even touching her, yet the other portion was beaming with pride; even if it was a small interaction with her hand, it still warmed and tingled her to think about it. She watched as Deidara did the same, rising and strolling towards back to the cave, leading her there as well, leaving the rest of the sunset unseen.

After entering the dark cave, her sight went dim; wow, her eyes adapted quickly. Seeing things with barely registering colors as a minimal, her fingers swooped in the air, in search for his hand. Ino let out a yawn, as her fingers clasped against his own. He didn't exactly take her hand, but it was good enough. Guiding her back to her room, Deidara opened the door to the familiar, dirty, murky room, as she reluctantly pranced inside, releasing his hand much to both of their inward clamoring. "Ow." She hissed at the tight pull in her thighs.

"You're still recovering, un. Maybe you should get some rest."

Her heart made a tight flop as he began to turn away towards the door. "...Don't go...!" She felt her mouth shoot.

"Hmm?" He inclined his head just the tiniest bit.

"Stay here... I'll feel safer... and more comfortable." She reasoned meekly.

He hesitated. "...Alright." Ino's insides cheered.

As he took a seat on the floor sprawled with fabrics, she squirmed after him, planting herself in his lap and leaned her head against his collar bone. Her eyes shut with heavenly bliss as she could feel her lips curve into a smile. Finally, a cuddle.

* * *

**A/N: Hope youu liked that ! :D **

**I really enjoyed writing it, ignoring my panic attacks about updating & my frustration in my dozing off. ^^ **

**So, I must say, I am truly disappointed in myself for the longer update than usual, especially since I did not get to work on the previous chapters like planned! D:  
Forgive me about that. I'll have to fit it in during this time gap I have. So, next chapter might take as long as this. ^^; **


	16. Adrenaline

**A/N: Well, here ya go. :P **

**This chappie was so tiring. ^^**

* * *

The warmth was gently hugging her, compressing her gently so that her body glowed with comfort. She snuggled herself into the unknown source of warming pleasure, nonchalantly determined to find out what it was. Curiously, her eyelids slowly flitted open, memories from the day before beginning to float back into her head.

Was this warmth from...?

She inhaled deeply, taking in the clean, clay scent. Yes, yes it was. "Deidara..." She murmured.

Her heart longingly fluttered from how close they were, eventually her comprehension descending into recalling their blissful kiss. _Geez, it's _just _a kiss. Not like it's sex or anything. _Though a strong portion of her protested, insisting that it may have been a kiss, but there was so much more to it, like any other one they've shared. In fact, after _every _kiss they, _specifically_, had shared, she had felt just as exhilarated. She couldn't help but allow the tips of her lips quirk into a silent smile at the thought.

Her eyes were now fully open as she lifted her gaze. Deidara was still asleep, lightly snoring. He was leaned against the wall, with Ino settled comfortably in his lap, a rag draping over both. Ino couldn't help herself; he just looked so cute. She shifted in his lap, her instincts alarming when she moved too much. Perhaps it was too forceful; his eyelids began to twitch as he shifted in his seat. He stirred, his eyelids flitting open.

"Nrngh..." He slurred.

How should she _react_? A welcome? Be afraid? How should someone react when waking an Akatsuki member that could kill her in an instant...? "Um..." Was all she managed. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought. Maybe there was more she had to learn.

Deidara gently removed Ino from his lap, groggily rising to extend his arms, hidden by his cloak to stretch. He briskly rubbed his eyes, simply by inclining his head to brush them against his bold shoulders. Taking lazy steps forward, he was stopped by the sweet, delicate voice from behind.

"...You're not just gonna leave me here, are you?" She asked sincerely.

The annoyance in his voice stung her. "I have a meeting, un." Had she done something wrong? Or was he just cranky from waking? Or perhaps it was the meeting itself.

"Oh... I see."

"Stay here, alright?" Her heart panged at the care in his voice.

She nodded. "Okay."

Ino allowed the massive disappointment to crush her chest as he exited the room. She didn't want to be _alone. _Even after many days of being isolated like that, one day with Deidara had altered everything and her adaptations to the loneliness.

* * *

Ino eagerly lifted her head, a welcoming smile on her face as she met his eyes. "Hi."

He gave her a light wave. Her cheekbones rose just slightly, as she tried to hide the relief in her eyes, though he saw it. Stiffly walking over, he took his seat next to her.

"So..." Ino began, clearing up the silence. "wanna go do something?"

His golden eyebrow arched. "Like what?"

"I dunno. Anything." She shrugged.

He considered the idea, sighing and rose. "Alright, un."

* * *

Her light steps faltered as she trailed behind the dangerous blond. They snaked through the labyrinth of walls, passing each hall and entering another. After quite some time, which wore Ino out, a bright opening was seen at the end of the hall and she longed for it to be the end.

"What exactly are we doing?" She inquired, stepping outside and onto the sandy rocks.

He couldn't suppress his mischievous grin. "Flying, un."

Flying wasn't _that _bad anymore. "Where to?"

He turned away. "Nowhere. We're just going to have fun, un."

"By fun..." her eyes widened as the wave of dread slammed her. "_No! _No extreme rides, please!"

"You asked for it, un." He reminded. "Besides, it's either this or going back into the room."

Both options were entirely terrible, but she was limited. "Err, flying then."

He grinned, and began to create a sculpture.

"On a bird?" She asked meekly.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, un. What else?"

"...Well, I was hoping for another butterfly." She spoke sheepishly.

"Ah, ah, ah, that's only for apologies, un." He snickered at her pout.

Her mouth opened to respond, but she was interrupted by a large appearance of fog, as bird wings spread out, showing off its flawless texture. Ino could feel herself examine the oh-so-familiar bird, absorbing each detail. As the cloudy puffs began to clear up, she stepped closer, but gasped as a hand clasped around her wrist and pulled her forward. The Yamanaka felt a pair of arms balancing her out on the bird, and shrieked as she received a lick from an all too familiar 'mouth'.

Recoiling her hand, she felt her heart flit as the bird began to leave the ground. "You know, you could've just _asked _me to hop on."

"Yeah, I know, un. But that would've been too... simple."

He really did make things harder. For example, the mouth on his hand. "Since when did this _licking business _begin anyway!?" Her thoughts brought her to say it.

Deidara chortled. "Since I saw the way you reacted the first time, un."

Ino pouted, ready to make her comeback but felt a strong jerk on the bird, and her body whipped back from the immediate, strong action. And then, as she barely recovered, she felt the wind flying right by her, with such speed and force that threatened to knock her off. She couldn't breathe at all - it was too quick and rough for her to capture. The wind smacked her hard, too quick for her to react and too strong for her to move on will. Oh, great, she was slipping. No, she -the bird- was the one soaring hastily. "S-stop!"

The large bird abruptly halted, flinging her body with the immediateness. Thankfully, she didn't fall. She simply suffered. Her gasps were overwhelming for Deidara and he simply simpered at her exhaustion. "H-how can...you-" -huff- "handle that!?"

"Control, un." He sneered with a cackle. "Get ready for another run."

Her blue orbs widened pleadingly. "No, no, no! Please! Don't, d-" But her voice was lost as the wind whipped past her wildly. Hands spurring searchingly, she vulnerably searched for just anything to hold on - more preferably the man in front. Her heart pounded with relief as her delicate, whizzing fingers clutched the familiar exterior of the cloak. Pulling herself closer to him, she clung onto his arm, squeezing her eyes shut. With moments of the crazed gust crashing by, her eyes flew open when the new, gentle breeze caressed her cheek.

"Fun, un?" He smiled.

"Not exactly." She whispered with the singing wind.

Ino could _feel _the devilish smile he gave her. She yanked herself closer to him, holding his arm as tight as she could.

"That was nothing, un." He whispered tauntingly, but there was truth in his words. To _him_, it was nothing. And he obviously wanted more. "Get ready." He warned her wickedly, an evil glint shining through his eyes. _Oh, God. _

"Ernghm." She whimpered.

As she had expected, though was not prepared for, an intense whirlwind flicked her neck back, as she tightened her grip on him, if possible. Her cheek pressed against his collar bone as their hair danced with each other, whipping her face along with the gust. Her body jerked and tugged at every sharp turn they took, making sore points, but her clutch was maintained. Everything was whizzing by, slicing off her air, keeping her unable to breathe. The wind continuously pounded her stomach roughly, creating new sore areas as the tangling breezes shot into her legs, dragging them off.

_I'm going to die! I can't breathe - I CAN'T BREATHE! My stomach...! Oh - am I falling!? No, no, no!_

Ino didn't know how long of the chaos lasted, but it was for sure, _long. _She was trapped; chains of fear threatened to tear her apart. Her throat swelled from the tightness and hard endurance of breathing, as the swelling and pressure began to build up. And everything stopped. Once again, her head bounced at the sudden halt. She was shaking - quivering intensely, with heavy gasps, even after the not-so-helpful reassuring comments from the golden-blond.

And then she began to cry. Even with the bird gliding threw the beautiful sky, she cried. Ino's sniffles were muffled as she hid her face in his shoulder, soaking the material of his cloak. "Hmm, what's wrong, un?" He questioned.

"W-what's..._ wrong!? _I felt like I was going to _die! It hurt! I was suffocating! _And all f-for something that was m-meant... to b-be labeled '_fun'_!"

"It _is_ fun."

_What the hell!?  
_

Ino maniacally shook her head against him, despite the movement of their aircraft being gentle. "No, i-it's not!"

"Don't be so weak, un."

_What!? _"W-what type of c-comforting is this!?" She screeched with tears, the after shocks of their diving flight quaking in her bones.

"I'm not exactly your typical comforter, un." Deidara chuckled. "And, you're getting my uniform wet."

Ino was bewildered. _How could anybody be so insensitive? _The impact of his ignorance over her turmoil was deep; strong that stabbed through her chest. "I-I can't believe you...!" She roared, furious now. The sadness and fear was slowly descending into the deadly fury that she had in store.

"Hmph." He shrugged, a quizzical smile appearing on his face. "I didn't realize you'd react like this; I'm fascinated, un."

"H-how dare you!" Her teeth clenched.

She was prepared to strangle him as he eyed her amusingly, taking satisfaction in her tortured instincts at the quick ride. "Just remember who controls this art pie-" But his words were trapped as her head pulled away, and immediately after, Ino's hand whipped out and slapped his cheek, _hard._ A light grunt of pain escaped his lips as the smack echoed with the wind.

He gritted through his teeth, "You litt-"

But once again, his words were cut off by a second smack to the face, the palm slapping against that same area on his face. He winced as the burning pain seeped through his skin, cursing at the stinging that threatened him. Ino sat there, eyebrows furrowed, shamelessly - not even _afraid. _

"Now please. Escort me down." She demanded. "Unless you want another one."

* * *

Deidara led the Yamanaka down the bird, before detonating it before she got a chance to properly retreat. She was knocked over by the intense force, cursing as she scraped her shins. "So," she began. "what now?" She tailed him, following him back into the maze of halls.

"I have another meeting to attend to, un." He muttered. Sulking, she speculated. His cheek was a fiery red, her hand being able to fit like a puzzle piece in the absurd, pink pattern. But she was no where near sorry; he should've treated her more respectively, rather than traumatizing her and laughing right after.

"In here, un." His hand held the door open for her. She took a tentative step forward, before turning and giving him a knowing look. "Here, un."

His fingers uncurled to reveal a graceful butterfly. "Sorry." He muttered.

She gawked at it, the beauty was immense. It flitted off his palm, landing at her feet, and flapping to her hands, as she stared at its gorgeous flying. Soon, she lifted her head, but by then, he had already gone. And then, the butterfly lightly exploded in her hands, scathing them.

* * *

"Explain your reasoning; why is she not deceased at this point?"

Never would Deidara outwardly admit that the Leader sometimes intimidated him. Actually, he was still adamantly against it mentally as well. He hesitated; what would his excuse be? He wanted to hide her from Sasori's wooden arms? Was that it? Was that reasonable enough? His bloodthirsty intentions for her had gradually weakened until he became too much of a wimp to end her life? "Um," He pondered. "Sasori no Danna and I were considering on... using her other techniques, un."

"What techniques of hers would be beneficial to the organization?"

Deidara was screwed. Obviously her techniques would come in handy, but they weren't _that_ needy that they would use _her _techniques to help them. "She has a few jutsus...that would help us with capturing the Jinchuriki, un."

"Distinctly."

Shit. "She can immobilize opponents, and heal... or manipulate their minds into performing other actions..." ...What other jutsus was she capable of?

He could feel the bubble of hope float through him as Pain's eyes flickered considerately, though it soon popped as his eyes denied the statement, words to speak his thoughts. "That's not good enough."

Deidara scrambled for words. "Yes, I know, un... But as I said before, we're _considering _it."

"We'd have to inform her about the organization's objective. There's a risk that she may escape quickly enough to elaborate to others."

"Yes, but she won't do that, un."

Though it was hard to see through the holographic appearance, he could see the leader's eyebrows hitch. "Why do you give her such trust? From our past experiences with the girl, she has not shown to be reliable." His words were hard, striking Deidara.

_He's right. _A voice whispered, exclusively to the blond. And he was. How was he supposed to know if she would lie or take an advantage of this...? But that wasn't exactly why his heart dropped, frozen. Was everything she was doing a lie? Was she only using him? Was she trying to seduce him for her own reasons of survival? Was everything from her all a pretense? He had no reason to believe that she would not try to escape.

"I-I _feel_... that she can be trusted." The words were a lie. He was only sparing her life until his mental theory was confirmed. Which it probably would be.

Pain's hologram began to waver, flickering densely. "Dismissed." Were his last words before disappearing.

Deidara drew a deep breath, trekking back to the room.

* * *

"Hey." She smiled, greeting Deidara as he strode into the room. Her eyes met his, and she averted her gaze immediately. His orbs were so... deep; unclear and hard, like stone. He slowly walked over, seeming hesitant in his steps. She motioned to sit, as like the morning.

Silently, he obeyed and took a seat next to her.

"Something... wrong?" She inquired, cocking her head with confusion.

Deidara shook his head.

"...Are you sure?"

"Yeah, un."

He flinched as something touched his cheek, making the burn even hotter and more intense. There, her hand laid on his cheek, fitted with the striking hand-print on his face. She gave him a soft smile. "Sorry." She whispered, unsure whether that was the problem or not. ...He wasn't still sulking, was he?

Deidara was confused; was this touch meant to be affectionate or taunting? Surely she had apologized, but it didn't clear much up. Either way, his mind was clouded with thoughts of the meeting.

* * *

**A/N: There you go! ^^  
I've been a little busy lately with my tests and work, but I'm glad that I can keep up now .. at least.**

**Review/criticizing would be nice. :]  
**


	17. Shady Glowing

**A/N: Apologies! Apologies! This one's a little late. ^^;  
But I still hope you enjoy it! :D  
**

**Oh, & again, I know i've said this before, but I am so sorry about the really, really late lemon!  
There is none in this chapter ..  
I never realized that I take so long with my plots .. ****^^;  
So sorry. :P**

* * *

Her shallow breathing deepened as she exerted more chakra into her palms. Balance was difficult with the way she was, but recovery was near. "Are you done yet, un?" Deidara asked once more, seated beside her with disinterest as the emerald shadows reached out from her palm and onto her sides.

She grunted, aggravated. "Stop asking that!" Ino was right; he has asked it plenty of times, but wasn't it obvious? Watching her heal herself wasn't that interesting.

"Hmph. I'm used to you having your chakra system dysfunction, un." He shrugged, despite her glare.

The Yamanaka snorted. "I'm well enough to heal the rest of my body, and I'm not gonna sit around in pain with recovery like that."

Deidara shrugged again, though he was hardly listening to her words. That _damn_ theory was still clouding up his mind, fogging him from keen concentration and direct thinking. He was casually seated against the wall; his knee was up with his forearm hanging loosely from it, while the rest of his body leaned, sprawled around freely. To Ino, it was difficult to concentrate with him sitting in such an alluring posture. He was, however, oblivious to her stolen glimpses, eyebrows narrowing as recalls of his meeting began to prick at him even more.

His eyes steadily shifted to the side, catching her gaze as she flinched and looked away. _Not so trustful, hmm? _He noted, even more evidence to strengthen his speculation. As much as he strained himself to stop the mental voice, it escaped and scattered in all points of his head. Ino's wide eyes were ambiguous as she turned back slightly, her bangs concealing her sneaky peek.

"Finished, un?" He inquired, voicing his impatience.

Ino growled. "Leave me alone if you can't wait!"

His shoulders rolled into another nonchalant shrug. "If you prefer."

And much to her dismay, he began to lift himself up. Unknown to herself, Ino let out a light whimper, which caused Deidara to incline his head so he could peer at her, but it didn't stop his slow steps. Her eyebrows unintentionally twisted with frantic panic, as her lips drew in a quick breath. He caught it all in sight, as he tried to stifle the reaction to have his lips twist into a smile, but failed.

Ino caught sight of this, her head ducking a little. "So stay." She said, using his sly grin as back up.

"You're busy, un." He said, stopping and glancing at her occupied hand.

"Yeah, but... I'm almost done."

His eyebrows cocked in surprise, as she straightened her composure - a much more healthy position, as opposed to her limp posture from before.

Her eye shimmered with delight, noticing his slight surprise. "See? Almost done. And I'm better too." Ino could feel the pain and stiffness loosen, even strong as she began to stand.

The Yamanaka's words gave him a reminder. "I'm setting out tomorrow, un. With Sasori."

"...Wait, what?"

He rolled his eyes. "My responsibility in this organization isn't to aid a captive - it's to... do something else."

"Oh..." She looked down. "Am I coming too?"

Deidara shrugged. "If none of the others come to this base, then yes, un."

Her eyes pleaded that the base would be empty, aside from Deidara, Sasori and herself. "How many bases are there?"

He hesitated. _Would she be trustful?_ It was ridiculous how many times the words sprinted through his head for the last few hours, but with her constant interrogation about the Akatsuki, it should've been reasonable to have suspicion. "...About twelve."

"Oh." She nodded.

"Hidan and Kakuzu are in the nearest base, un."

"...Oh." Her eyes wandered. "...So, how far is that?"

If not for her questions, his theory of her being unreliable would have been long gone. "...Sasori and I will be closer to them when we leave, so you can say that they're quite far away, un." His eyes flitted around the room, before motioning for her to get up.

* * *

Ino silently followed Deidara from behind as they strode towards Sasori's room. He hadn't said a word - even after she had comment on things, which was quite different than what she was used to; he _always _replied to everything she said. Had she done something wrong?

Distracted, she bumped into Deidara as he halted in front of her, knocking on his Danna's door. "What?" The door swung open, as the familiar hunched creature -Sasori- stood there, tail wavering defensively, as if prepared for conflict.

"Which one are we... capturing?" The blond asked, secretively as Ino arched her eyebrow in confusion.

Sasori's piercing eyes flickered between the two blonds. "Did you have to question that with _her _along? It's foolish to do such a thing!" His eyes bound deeper.

"I know... But just say it, un."

His stiff head shook. "...We're after..._number three_." Sasori insinuated. _  
_

"Oh. Alright." He nodded, gesturing for the kunoichi to follow as she suspiciously did so.

* * *

Nudging. Someone was nudging Ino. But she didn't care - _sleep_; to continuing sleeping was what she wanted. But this person was persistent. Eventually, the nudges got stronger, rocking her out of place as she moaned with reluctance. Then, something _wet_ and _warm_ slid across her shoulder. _That texture..._

The person in Ino's mind clicked, and her legs snapped out, connecting with Deidara. "_Ew!_" She screeched, while doing so. The Yamanaka pounced up, ready to reprimand, but all Deidara did was chuckle, holding up his hands innocently as his hand's tongue hung loosely; taunting. He was taunting her.

"Relax, un." His face lost any enthusiasm as the words snapped together.

Her delicate hands propped onto her hips. "_Relax!? _I can't relax when your slimy _hand-tongue-thing_ licks me every second!" At the last word, Ino's arms ballistically flew up in the air, all fatigue apparently gone.

He successfully concealed his amusement with a curtain of his bangs. His mind was dubious; whether she was purposely trying to captivate him or not for her own life, Ino was definitely succeeding. She never failed to capture his interest. _But he didn't want that. Not with a motive like that. If it was true._

"Whatever." He muttered. "Anyway, it's time to for us go, un. Sasori's getting really impatient."

Her eyebrow raised. "So, I'm coming?"

Deidara sighed. "I said '_us_', didn't I? What do you think? That you're staying here?" His partial snide comment was crabby.

She flinched at such a snappy statement. "Oh."

But before she said anything else, he was already stepping away, out of the door. Drawing a streak of air, Ino scurried after him, though he was nowhere to be seen. Following the echoes of his steps, she traced each hollow repeat it made along the walls. The footsteps began to fade in terms of sound and vibration, and uncertainly, she took a close turn to the left. A gasp escaped the Yamanaka's lips as something ghosted over her shoulder; a hand. Her eyes flickered cautiously, registering Deidara.

"This way, un." He said from behind her, repelling his hand and leading her across the floor.

Inhaling, Ino, again, followed him from behind._ Why are you so confusing? Don't treat me like _this._  
_

_

* * *

_It was awkward to be seated beside the man -puppet- who had already set his mind on turning her into wood as well. Deidara was standing on the clay bird's head_, _feigning ignorance over the fact of Sasori as well. Ino occasionally fumbled with her hands, too timid to speak up or say anything. Normally, she would've loved to discuss topics with Deidara - anything to hear his low, smooth voice.

And she did. But not in the way the kunoichi had wanted. Instead of hearing a comment, joke, reassurance or worthless words, she heard _bickering _from him. Although the fact that he wasn't quite fond of Sasori was partially obvious, she didn't expect them to have such adamant dislikes towards one another's preferences.

Focusing Ino's chakra into her brain, she drowned out all of the annoying arguing, but instead began to fantasize. Oblivious to the fact that her eyes had shut, her mind began to imagine being somewhere alone with Deidara. Anywhere.

_He caressed her. He kissed her. He felt her. He tasted her. She did the same. His hands began to wander over her silky skin. And her shirt fell to the ground. His bare body pressed against hers. She melted. And kissed him.__  
_

Ino released an exotic breath. But it was hard to concentrate with the voices that were beginning to rise in the background, eventually shattering her lewd imagination. Ino's teeth gritted, irritated by her destroyed oblivion of fantasies.

"Dammit, Danna, un! You captured their attention!" Deidara shouted, glaring at the puppet. _Their? Who? _

Sasori shook his head. "If not for this bird, we wouldn't have been discovered."

"Don't blame this on my art, un! You have to stop yelling so much. We're not that far above ground!"

"You're the one who is yelling now."

Confused, Ino's eyes opened as she glanced around below, to see a mob of Sunagakure Jonin-garbed shinobi. A frothy mix of different emotions mustered inside of her. _Happiness. Fear. Hope. Sadness._ They hustled after, shouting their insults and cries of anger. Armed with weapons, all six of them pounced up, their kunais and scythes striking out as Deidara managed to easily dodge, giving the bird a quick pivot. _Too _sharp.

Ino felt her arms flail for balance, as her legs twisted and slipped off the edge of the clay creature. Immediately, she felt the air flying past her as she fell like a bomb. Her eyes squeezed shut; she didn't want to see the landing, nor did she like the wind puncturing her eyes.

Or perhaps... _maybe the Jonin will catch me! Or maybe Deidara will sav- _

"_Shit!_" Ino heard Deidara bellow, _from above_.

_Bam.  
_

Her body landed on the cold, dusty ground with a loud thud. Most impact was targeted at her sides, but her right shoulder pained immensely. The men continued to roar as they raced forward for her. The Yamanaka's head lifted slightly, weakly looking as their legs moved one after the other. Her neck inclined as she saw Deidara creating sculptures, the bird lowering closer to her.

The dust swept into a cloudy puff as one man skidded to a stop. "You!" His finger jabbed into Ino's direction.

"W-what...?" She called weakly, propping herself onto her hands and knees to rise.

The raven-haired man swallowed. "You're... _Yamanaka Ino_?"

If not for the fact that she was fighting against affliction, she would've smiled, full of pride. The stupefaction in his voice pleased her with much satisfaction; to have her name recognized and her face respected. "Yes." She winced, despite the delight.

"You're coming with us." One of the larger man -no, the _largest_- ordered, striding closer with intimidating steps. And the notion was very well _not _friendly.

"Wait, wha-"

_"Katsu!_" _Bang!_

A flash of white blinded her for a split second before the haze flickered away to reveal the chubby man engulfed within an insinuated mixture of smoke and dust. He lay in the center, meters away from her. It was unclear, but every once in a moment, he'd twitch.

An arm wrapped around her as she abruptly scrambled to her feet with the support of the blond Akatsuki.

"How do y-you know me...?" Ino found herself inquiring.

One man stopped, raising his weapon as he glared at Deidara scornfully. "Konoha shinobi; They're looking for you."

Her heart flopped before stopping. Her beloved home, _Konoha_, was actually seeking her out? _They really do care... _She could feel the energy burst inside of her, consuming her body as her eyes widened with joy.

Her holder gazed upon her, mystified at the expression set on her creamy face.

The last male pointed his scythe at Deidara. "After taking care of him," he began, plotting his plan outwardly to his teammates. "we'll kill _her_." His arm shifted to Ino.

_Wait, what!?_

_"Huh_!?" She shouted. Deidara flinched from her voice; immersed with _disappointment_ and confusion. Something in his chest stung, as he flipped his gaze back to the group of men. He would _loved _to blow them up, to destroy them... but part of his mind was reluctant, pondering elsewhere.

"It's obvious that you're affiliated with the Akatsuki now; you've been missing for a few weeks now, and yet you're alive." Ino's wide orbs teared at her torn chance. "And, he just helped you up." He stated in his husky tone casually.

Ino gawked, her eyes flickering to Deidara too quickly to see anything. No, her eyes were full of disbelief, he saw. "_No! _You have it all wrong!" She screeched, shrugging out of the blond's helping arms. "I'm not with them! _Take me back_!"

A stab. Not a sting, a _stab_ was what the blond Akatsuki criminal felt. _She probably did mean to fool me. _was the only thought that he could think, as his senses collapsed from such a giant jab of inner pain.

The Jonin was adamant. "No." The word was hard.

At the single four letter word, Ino began to sob. The crystal tears spilled all over her soft face as the chance of escaping the Akatsuki shattered. "_Please_." Her lips quivered the word out, whimpering and begging with one syllable.

Unknown to her, Deidara, behind her, was suffering just as much. The thick pressure inside of him swelled and throbbed as he watched her break down to her knees and let out a cry as the Jonin platoon raised their weapons one more; declined. They sauntered closer, carefully taking steps. But Deidara did nothing.

_Let them kill her. I'll kill them if they even try to touch me. _He swallowed unnervingly.

Just as one of their blades swung in the air, a yelp and deep scream came from on of the members, before blood spilled out and he collapsed. The others turned, alerted as they caught sight of Sasori. In an instant, they followed the same path, crying out helplessly as the puppet mercilessly killed them. One by one, they went down as Ino watched, frozen and traumatized, with a certain blond rigid behind her as well.

"Let us continue." Sasori growled, his tail motioning to Deidara.

Stiffly, without a decry, he strode back to the bird, hopping on. Ino still sat there on the ground, sulking while her legs sprawled. "Hurry up, un!" He called to her, as she flinched. Weeping the _not-so-last _of it, she sadly dragged herself over. Even Sasori was already there before her. His tail stopped vacillating back and forth as she leaped up, falling on the bird accidentally.

No sympathy was radiated.

* * *

The illumination of the full moon was undeniably twinkling pretty. The distraught dawned upon Ino had very lightly dispersed as the hours had elapsed. But the aftershocks of the disappointment was still present. The silence remained. Sasori had left to escape the presence of both blonds, leaving them alone together, silently seated against their own separate tree away from each other.

Every little moment, Ino would take a small, filling breath, hoping to have Deidara raise his gaze, even just the _slightest _bit.

But he didn't.

Not only that, but it was impossible to steal a glimpse of his appealing face as well, much credit to his lengthy bangs. The bangs that she _oh so_ loved. They reminded her much of her own, giving her strong delight.

Awkward silence.

"So," Deidara flinched at the dead silence. He should've seen it coming; she _always _sliced silence with 'so'. "...nice night, huh?"

_Nice night_? That was all she could say? _Nice night!? _"No. It's a hideous night, un."

Ino winced at the frosty note in his tone. "...Yeah." She watched as he stood on his feet, stepping towards the trees that surrounded them. "Where are you going?" She questioned.

"Somewhere else, un." _More steps forward..._

"Why?" She found herself stupidly inquiring.

His neck inclined, but only enough for her to see his icy glare. "You woke me up, un." _This_, was obviously a lie - but he wouldn't come out and show her what pathetic reason was upsetting him.

"But you weren't even slee-"

"Yes I _was_!" He bellowed.

The kunoichi's eyes watched carefully as his hands familiarly reached into the pouches hanging by his waist. She gulped, sadness striking her with fear. _He's not going to... again. Is he?_ All too soon, the clay sculpture was created, and exploded into size - a larger bird.

"Don't try going anywhere, un." He warned. "It's watching you, and if you even _try _to escape..." His voice turned low. "Just don't, un."  
He was _threatening _her. _Threatening. _What had she done wrong? ...Unreliable.

"Wait." Her hand reached out, as if to lay it on his shoulder to halt him, but he was already meters away. "Look at me."

Deidara paused, but hesitantly spun around. Ino's eyes were frantic, he could see. _Worried, nervous_... "What, un!?" He snapped.

She flinched, for what seemed like the hundredth time of the day. "...What the..._hell_?"

"...I'm tired, un." He lied once more, but her eyes narrowed.

She whispered, stepping closer, "What...did I do wrong?" Behind her, were padding steps from the large clay bird._ Great, it really does keep an eye on me._

He turned away, keeping silent.

"...What's with all of _this_!?" Unexpectedly, her voice raised loudly, as her hand aimed at the clay bird behind her.

_More silence. _Ino's hand dropped back to her side._  
_

"...You don't trust me...?" She whispered, her voice soft again.

Deidara hadn't said a word, and it remained like that. Instead of responding, or even _reacting_, he turned away, ambiguously lurking off and disappearing behind the trees. Ino bit her lower lip, her eyes swelling as they filled with glass tears. She wiped them away before turning to the clay sculpture.

"I'm going to Deidara..." She muttered, dubiously. Quite doubtful that it would understand too, but it was worth a try.

And then Ino launched into the forest, the wind wickedly sweeping her bangs into her eyes - but it didn't matter. One after another, her legs worked their way past the dark, hollow trees. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a kunai.

* * *

**A/N: There you go. :3**

**Was that good? :O  
**

**Yes, confusion is suppose to occur. ^^**

**Just a quick note -- the next chapter may be delayed, as I want to work on some new fics as well. But I doubt it'll be as late as this one. x3  
I hope you enjoyed that. 0.0 **

**Reviews are helpful to me as well, so if you could, please do so. ^^**


	18. Flaming Fragments

**A/N: I warned you about the longer delay, but it wasn't _that _long, thankfully. ^^; **

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Sweat ran down the side of her face, marking her cheeks and temples like tears. But they were not tears at all. Ino refused to allow any sadness smolder her feelings once more, nor did she want anything to portray sadness as well. Her pale, luscious hair intricately danced as the breeze swept past her, grazing her heated, stiff face. Pushing herself to another burst of speed, her eyes widened as the familiar silhouette stood beyond the plenty trees ahead. His curvy ponytail was prominent in the shadows, as well as his thick cloak. Standing in the opening alone, hands clasped together told her it was him as well.

She swallowed loudly, nervously clenching her kunai tighter.

Slowly,Ino's feet carried her across the distance, lightly. Her foot landed gently on the soft earth of the opening, and Ino flinched as Deidara swung around, cautious. Everything was still and eerily silent as he took a moment to observe her with wondering eyes. His golden eyebrows furrowed as he caught sight of her equipped kunai. Slowly, his face distorted from wondering to anger. But despite the wrath that was displayed on his face, it didn't conceal the slight moment of disbelief and confusion that crossed his contours once he had laid eyes on her hands.

_He's angry with me now... because I brought the kunai. And he didn't even give me a chance to explain... _Her mental voice whimpered.

"So," he cleared his throat, stepping closer. "you're here to kill me now?"

She mimicked his moves, stepping forward. "...Just listen."

"Do you really think _you_ could defeat _me_, un?" He snorted, sneering at her with distaste as her heart scorched with pain. Of course he had high confidence - he was arrogant when it came to his abilities, and that wasn't what hurt her. The way he scornfully referred to her fractured her.

Ino swallowed again. "...Just listen." She echoed her own voice, repeating.

"What's there to listen to?" He cocked an eyebrow and sent her a glare. "It's obvious what notion you're sending, un."

"_Just listen_." The kunoichi was surprised at the low snarl she found her voice deepening to.

Deidara's eyebrow arched again, but he waited patiently. "You do realize if you proceed with this, it means you're requesting death, right?"

"...You don't understand."

"I don't understand... hm. I don't understand...!" It was as if Deidara's voice dragged on the pondering thoughts he was going through, his voice gradually raising. Then, he exploded with words. "You're damn right, un! I can _never _understand you; all you do is keep me puzzled - keep me confused and tangled with your little lies...!"

_What_? "...Lies?"

"I can never trust you, un." His voice was frosty, almost freezing her.

"...You..." It took her a moment before she burst into her own words. "...I-I... _You_! Why is it that you can _never _rely on me!? What have I done to you!?"

"Lied, un."

_Mind Reading..._ "...What other fucking choice did I have!? What else am I supposed to do for survival!?"

It took him a moment to think of a rebuttal, though he simply shifted the exchange. "You wanted to leave earlier today - you almost betrayed me, un!"

"_Betrayed!? _I can never get you, Deidara!" He flinched as she voiced his name. "I didn't think you _wanted _me with you! You were acting all weird around me...!"

"So you generalize?" He pressed.

"No - you're a _criminal_. There are times where you've been nice, and times you've been cruel. I'm just a kunoichi - I _want _to go home. _You're _the one who's generalizing, believing that all I really wanted to do was stay. Do you really think that? Do you think I want to stay with a bunch of bloodthirsty _freaks_!?" She screeched the words, her voice raising and lowering with shrill notes.

"It doesn't change my thoughts on you - I still don't think you're trustworthy, un."

"_You _don't think _I'm _trustworthy!?" She paused, only to gasp for air. "Why is it _you _always thinking _I'm _unreliable!? Has it ever occurred to you that I may think that of _you_!?"

His eyebrow arched. "What?"

"Deidara," he flinched at the sound of his name once more. "how am I supposed to know whether I can rely on you either!? You're an _Akatsuki _member; I never know if you really are going to kill me or not!" She spat, screaming once more. "I don't know if_ I_ can trust _you_!" And the crystal glass tears streamed down, silently, the only sound in the dark clearing being her shallow breaths.

Her cheeks sucked in but she slowly approached him. Finally, standing only a few feet in front of him, her quivering lips released a choked note. His eyes narrowed in slight confusion, as his gaze lowered only to set on her hands, which were trembling, the blade twitching in between her curved fingers. And then, in a blur, Deidara watched as her arm, the one wielding the small blade, whipped out. However, there was one flaw. A _major _flaw. The distance was too far for her arm to fully reach him, and her hand ended up mere inches away from his body.

_Idiot_. A stupid move to make it was. It wasn't difficult to estimate your distance. And then, his eyes questioned themselves as they gazed upon her hand, which was frozen, still sticking out like an idiot. But he quickly scanned another flaw. The kunai's _surface _side was facing to him, the deadly tip pointed to the moonlit sky, with the edges and corners pointing in directions away from him. Slowly, realization absorbed into him.

Ino wasn't trying to hurt him. She was handing him the kunai.

His throat was parched. "I don't get it, un." His eyes smoldered into her deep, cerulean ones. "What type of mind game are you trying to play?"

"No_ne_." A simple, delicate word flowed through the air, but her voice cracked at the end of the single-syllable word. The tears had dried, and her voice was softer - lighter, but full of the same deep feelings. It perplexed him whether this was of lying, or from any emotional wanderings that she was experiencing at the moment. But which was which? Which was true?

"I have my own kunai, un."

"...No; it's... a proposal." She whispered.

He raised an eyebrow. "...What?"

The next words shattered Ino's heart - was she really saying them? "A proposal for death."

Shock stunned his body - he froze, baffled from her complexity. _Death_? _She was asking for _death_!? _

_"..._Well?" Her arm still stuck out, motioning him to take it.

"...Why, un?" He found himself inquiring.

She turned away. Ino's voice was a gentle, smooth whisper. "...My life's been filled with lies. My village's allies believe I'm a criminal - who knows what my village thinks?" She turned to him again, when adding the end. "...And, you don't trust me. Not even when I'm telling you the damn truth."

For a moment, despite the tension that swung frantically through the air, he wanted to comfort her. To ensure her things would be fine. To cheer her up with his magnificent _art_. "Kill me already." She whimpered, her voice breaking once more. "J-just - use your... clay if you have to!" The tears began to explode down her face again.

And he gave into his impulses. He couldn't just let her -_her_, _Ino, her_- corrupt like that. Deidara reached forward, his hand touching her shoulder as he pulled her closer. "No!" She wailed in protest, pushing him off. With shaky hands, she took the kunai with both hands, pointing it towards herself. And then she took a deep breath. Alert and haste crossed his eyes as his arm shot out, his hand tightening around the little exposed handle.

"Don't be so stupid, un!" He yelled, ripping it out of her hands - perhaps too hard, as the blade incised into her palm, leaving a red, glowing streak. And then, blood began to trickle down her palms, as she stared at them with wide eyes. Ino kept silent as he took her hands into his reassuringly. "It's fine... just a small wound."

She gave him a weak nod, her face blank, all energy soaked out of her. Deidara took this as a sign for the end of it, as he tugged her by the arm. Emptily, she followed along as the clay bird which -oblivious to her- had trailed them down swooped over. Taking her in his arms roughly, he leaped onto it as they set to the stars.

* * *

Ino's orbs still held that emptiness inside of them. Upon landing on the bird, she had already squirmed out of his hold and was now sitting away from him, maintaining balance as well as distance. Occasionally, he'd glance at her to see her tremble; Deidara was unsure whether this was over their argument, or if it was given from the chilliness of the breeze. Perhaps both. She didn't bother healing her palms; they stopped bleeding but for some strange reason unknown to Deidara, she didn't even try to clean the dry and sticky blood either.

Sasori had already gone, according to the evidence left on the trails that was seen from hovering up so high. Of course he'd think that his partner would already understand the idea; dispersing. Another anxious sigh escaped his lips as he stole one other glimpse at her. _Helpless. _She was undeniably helpless. A weakling. An idiot. But still real. Her tears, as her blood, had dried up as well.

_Why so sudden? _His mentality questioned. _She was yelling at me, and then suddenly - out of nowhere, she wants to die? _She was more obscure than she had ever been. _Emotional. She's emotional. That's why_. Glancing at her once more, he almost nodded in confirmation. _Whatever she feels - she follows her emotions. _

Attempting to kill the silence, he cleared his throat. "Ino," he said. His head turned as he stared at her. She didn't bother looking up. "Ino." He repeated. Unknown to him, her heart hastily pulsated with every time he voiced her name. "Look up already, un." But she didn't. Despite the excitement that raced through her heart with his words of regard -negative or positive-, it didn't sink the feelings of her tattered thoughts, disappointment, confusion, bewilderment, and disbelief.

_Did I seriously just try to get him to kill me? Do I _want _to die. Why - WHY_!? _What's... happening to me...? I feel so sad... _Am _I going to die soon? Again - these damn 'I might die' thoughts again. Stop it. I wish it was over. The sadness. _Ino could feel his gaze upon her, but she kept silent - only inwardly speaking. "You..." she found herself whispering. "I - you, I-I...Deid..." But the words never weaved. As desperate as he was to find out what she was trying to say, he remained silent.

_What _happened _to my life? What happened to _me_?_ _What's wrong with me? "_I'm sorry..." Her quivering lips managed to release_.  
_

Shock engulfed him as he raised an eyebrow. "For what?" He said, feigning a cool, calm voice.

"...Everything. I shouldn't have... said those things to you..."

_But she has a right to. They were true. _A hollow voice echoed in his mentality. "Hn." He responded. _You _shouldn't _be trusted. _The voice carried on.

Slowly, his head churned to face her once more, as their eyes smoldered against each other like a flickering ember. Ino shivered as the coldness caressed her body, hoping that the loss warmth would conceal the fear as well - as an excuse to be trembling. "We're stopping here, un." Deidara said, as the bird descended.

* * *

The friction between both thick, large sticks was strong in Deidara's hands, evident with the sound of the chafe as well as they burst into flickering, dancing flames. Ino watched the hollow, burning shadow etch onto Deidara's face, his features turning bold from them. Along with the flames came radiation of heat and warmth - she nestled into a bundle of nothing, attempting to maintain the heat for her body.

"You're cold?" He inquired.

She feebly looked away. _How can he just act as if nothing happened!? _"...Yeah."

Stiffly -and she could see that- he rose and strode over to her, removing his cloak and blanketing her shoulders with it. As corny and cheesy as it was -and _that_, she could see as well, scrawled over his face-, as much as Ino would've made fun of it on a regular day, she _liked _it. She felt warm, with the hint of tingliness with Deidara's material on her. _I shouldn't be feeling this way... Not with him. Not anymore_.

"A-aren't you cold?" The Yamanaka stuttered, shock hitting her like a hammer from how flustered she sounded. As the words slipped out of her mouth, her gaze laid upon Deidara, without his cloak for the first time. His skin held a light padding of muscle beneath it -but _oh_, it was _still _there-, as he was garbed in a navy, loose shirt with mesh netting beneath it. His pants were very loose as well, stopping somewhere at his shins as the traditional Akatsuki leggings extended over his shinobi sandals.

But his arms. Strange, raw, red material covered one over the elbow -- _no_, it _was _his skin. From the looks of the stitching, that was something to replace missing joints and skin. Ino could tell, with the knowledge of her medical studies. On his other arm, was a stitch that extended all the way around.

Ino swallowed. How attracted had she been to Deidara, and not even see what was beneath his cloak?

"No, not really, un." Deidara muttered, turning away as he took a seat back on the other side of the fire.

But things felt wrong, out of place with the incident's remains hovering above, beneath, in front, and behind them. To Ino, it was like a ghost nagging her to question him - to get the topic over with and complete her questions with answers. And that's what she began to do. Her first attempt had ended with a 'hn.'.

_He didn't really say if he forgave you_. The ghostly voice of her own mentality whispered. Her throat cleared. "Well, I-I... um, I'm wondering... are you... affected by what just happened...?" _Damn! I sound so stupid! _

His lazy eyes rotated to meet hers. "..._Yes_." The word was bitter, crisp and ultimately deadly.

"I-I'm sorry..." She tried again.

"You said that already, un." He replied in a monotone voice.

"I know... but..." What did she really want as an answer? What _good _answer could he possibly give her? The answer was simple; there was none. Besides a 'no, it didn't bother me', which was far from impossible. And he had already denied that. What was left was the question of why she was still asking, and what _response _did she really want. "Um, it's just... are we okay on this?"

"...Not really." He drawled. "...You don't expect for... me to forget about something like _that_, do you?"

"Well, no... but..." Ino's words stammered. "D-do you...hate me now...?"

Little did he want to reply to it, he winced as his heart jerked at the question. _Did he_? No feelings of attraction from him were tied to her anymore... Deidara's heart gave another tug at the subconscious thought. In that one moment, he realized that their connection had shattered. He _didn't _feel the same way about her. Was he still attracted to her? He didn't know. Did that mean he felt different about her entirely? He didn't know. About her character? He didn't know.

_I don't know_.

At his long hesitation, Ino tore her gaze away from him, unable to hold any more attention on him that may cause her burning melancholy and turmoil. "_Oh_." She whispered.

"Don't get the wrong idea, un," he muttered. No, he didn't hate _her_, not generally, but in the current situation, _yes_, he did hate her. Hate that she'd put him in such a position. He hated her for _that_. The position that had stretched on forever, from being the one who had to kill her, or being the one who had to rescue her, or being the one who had to... _upset _her. For being the one that _she _upset. "I'm still thinking through everything." He wanted to murmur his previous thoughts from short moments ago; '_No, he didn't hate her, not generally, but in the current situation, yes, he did hate her.' _But he couldn't. Not to _her_, who he was directing about.

"...So you do...?" Deidara was unsure of whether glass tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes, because of her averted gaze.

"...No, un." He said, but still - _he couldn't get her to understand_. She could see his frustration in addressing things correctly. "I ju-"

All in an instant, her body blurred as she rushed out of his sight. Registering only one blink, he felt something warm press against him - _no_, _drop_ on him as arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Deidara, totally dazed at the sudden shift of the situation, blinked once more before looking down to see Ino in his lap, his cloak around her as she nuzzled her face into his neck. "D-don't feel... uncomfortable..." She murmured, almost shrilly into his neck. "And, f-for everything's that's h-happening... I'm sorry." She repeated another time, her voice muffled.

Deidara could feel the droplets of salty tears run down his unusually exposed neck as his arms delicately pulled her onto his lap, hugging her to himself. "Stop saying that, un." He murmured back. "Don't be so apologetic all the time."

"...Oh." Silence dawned on them, as Ino lazily casted her gaze on him. "You're... okay with this _for now_, right?" Her voice emphasized the 'for now', to signify the inquiry of whether he was acceptable of their current situation and position.

"Just _okay_, maybe less, un." He admitted, as she nodded reluctantly. "As I said before... I need... time to think about things."

She gave him one last nod, before her head dropped down onto his shoulder - but rather than _seeing _the uncertainty in her eyes, he could _feel _it.

* * *

**A/N: A gradual rough transition from murderous to slight comforting, yes? ^^  
Oh, don't worry, Sasori will still be in the story. :P **

**So thank you all for reading. It's very delighting to me to have readers, as well as reviews too.  
& so, if you could take your time & do that, it'd be great. ^^;**

**Thank you very much! :D  
**


	19. Elimination

**Everyone, I AM SO SORRY over how long this chapter took!  
Like 4 weeks...!**

I've been going through some harsh emotional paranoia so it delayed this a lot. I'm very sorry. :[  
Also, this chapter didn't come out too great, so... I think it's a close time for me to be taking a scan over my chapters again  
and tweak up the flaws. :P  
No major changes, so don't worry. ^^  
A thanks to my subscribers & readers who've been patient with this. I really owe things to you. 3

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

The bristle texture Ino's head laid on was strangely pleasant. Groggy murmurs made their way out of her lips, as she stirred in her partial-slumbering state. A thin layer coated her figure from any chilliness, as she released a sigh. Birds chirped, singing a sweet, delicate melody that harmonized through her ears. The birds' silver song continued onward, allowing comfort to spread through her. _Sounds like a beautiful day... _

_Bang._

Ino's eyes parted, flying open in alert. Dozens of crows choked across the wind_, _knitting with the frantic calls of other species.

_Bang_.

The flutter of wings whipped through the breeze, hastily retreating from danger. Engulfing the trees from a distance, was a cloud of smoke, withering and wavering with every call that echoed amongst the birds. _Deidara...? _Realization pummeled her as she swung around - Ino was leaning against a tree, not him. _Must be him then... _Her thin lips pressed into a tight line with memories soaking back into her brain from the night before; all of it - blood, sweat and tears.

With reluctance, she hauled herself onto her feet, fighting against the aching pain or exhaustion that netted her legs. Forcing a sprint, she kept her running pace moderate as she jogged her way towards the speculated location of destruction. As she neared her destination, the smokey fog began to thicken and burn into her eyes and nose, tearing them up. Her heart lurched as his figure came in sight - she ran quicker. Upon entering the clearing where he stood, she stopped her pace and stared at him, the discomfort regaining its hold on her. What exactly was she supposed to say to him? What _could _she say to him?

"Hey, un." Deidara called over his shoulder.

Ino flinched at the immediate sound. "Uh, hi. What're you doing out here...?" She glanced around, as if to emphasize the question.

"Isn't it obvious?" Bliss touched his tone. "I'm cherishing the beauty of my art, un."

Oh, of course. "...Right."

"What are you doing here?"

"You scared all of the birds away, so I thought I'd check the scene out - just in case you were fighting somebody or something." Ino forced herself to keep her voice at a nonchalant level.

He shrugged. "No, just art. _My _art." At the inclination of his body, she was able to see him smile. Then, he sat down on the nearby log. "_Art_; the aesthetics of that short moment where the artwork has its existence erased from history by shock destruction..."

The Yamanaka felt her lips curve. _It's annoying, but adorable at the same time when he does that... _"Still going by that theory, huh?"

His mouth twitched into a grimace. "What reason is there to stop besides stupidity, un?" He snorted.

"I 'unno." She shrugged.

"Hmph." He muttered - at the same time, she strode over to take a seat by him.

"So... how are things?" She inquired, glancing at him. "...You're alright now...?"

"Depends on what you mean by alright, un."

Ino hated how she _had _to know how things felt. That she _had _to get that answer, even if it met destroying a peaceful, calm moment. "Well, I mean... How are you feeling right now?" The wanting to silence herself wasn't as strong as her will to continue. "...Angry? Annoyed? Hateful...?"

Deidara sighed. "...Ino, un." She blinked at the sound of her name. "Don't be so attached to that matter, un." She kept silent, averting her gaze and stared at the soft blades of emerald grass.

He never answered the question.

* * *

The meaning behind the eerie silence was not needed to be said in order to comprehend where the root's of it came from. Deidara knew that. Though what he didn't know was how powerful the emotion burst inside of Ino's mind, her heart, her soul. Nothing could reach beyond worse in her situation. She already had; being kidnapped by the Akatsuki. But within that, the turmoil she felt over this _one _person was out of the ordinary, and far too strong for her to handle and manipulate.

_How does he really think about me now...? _

That was all. That was what all feelings branched from - where the silence entered from.

_What will happen with us...? _That, as well.

Oblivious to the fact that they began to descend from the bird, she sighed, twirling a soft lock of her hair as her eyes bored into the clay. Realization soaked into her as she gazed around her surrounding. "...Oh?" She said, finally shattering the silence. "...Where are we...?"

"At a base, un. We're only stopping by to discuss with the others that are here; Sasori's already here too." Ino was bewildered at the fact that Sasori had arrived before them; how? How did he move that quickly without transportation such as theirs? Leaping off of the clay bird, she scurried off, the detonation echoing in the distance as she laid a foot in the murky cave.

"No, un," he called. "This way." His thumb jerked towards the corner, which she followed, voice lulled.

* * *

"...There's no one here." She clarified, upon entering the grassy clearing.

"They're inside the actual den, but I don't want to go in just yet, un." He spoke coolly, before arching an eyebrow. "Unless you wanted to go inside alone...?"

She flinched at the thought and notion packaged with it. "No thanks..." At the words, they both took a seat on the soft, thick grass.

Ino's gaze shifted to Deidara once again, watching as he typically reached into his waist pouches to pull out the thick, white substance that seemed to enrapture him so very much. Skeptically, she reached over touched his arm, watching as he deliberately peeled his stare away from his clay to lock on her. "What, un?"

"...I just..." _want you to hold me_. "Um." The swelling that rose seemed to strangle her way of thinking.

Tentatively, she pulled his arm nearer and leaned in, as realization struck Deidara and he widened his eyes. _Again...? _With Ino, it was always confusing. Right after an indirect suicide attempt with the involvement from him, she thought she could just kiss him? But the protesting was sealed as her delicate lips locked onto his, her pulling him closer seeming to make their lips stronger against each other. Realization soaked into him that his will was slipping away, and he quickly moved, pushing her away while doing so. "No, un."

She pouted, but the fraction of a second where her eyes flickered with pain was enough to tell him that she was stinging from rejection. "...Why not?" Ino inquired, in almost a shaky voice, but pleading.

"...I still need to think about things, un."

Her lips pursed. "Why? ...Things are over and done with; they finished yesterday. You don't need to think about that anymore." She assured him, almost forcefully.

For a moment, he felt a shock of offense at how pushy she sounded. "It's more complex than that, don't you think, un?" He snapped the words.

"No, not exactly." The words were blunt, but a retort.

The frustration boiled inside of Deidara as his eyebrows bound together. His fists balled together, but he looked away as the anger simmered. "Just stop." Upon receiving the comment, she was unsure whether it was towards any idea of affection or lust, or more retorts and rebuttals.

Or maybe both.

Embarrassed and stung by his repeated rejection, she, again, _wanted _to kiss him, yet this time it wasn't for lust; it was to go _against _what he established. To retort. The trepidation stirred inside of Ino at the very thought.

Angry, she defiantly grabbed the collar of his cloak, -his eyes widening, eyebrows furrowing at her response- pulling him forward and pushing her mouth against his with valiance. Abruptly, his hands clasped around her wrists and began to pry them off, but she was persistent on having her decision made. Ignoring as he moved her hands off his uniform, she returned to focusing on the kiss and her mouth pressed sweetly, yet urgently against his.

Ino's cheeks burned as her free hands moved to rapaciously grab his long, soft hair, tugging cynically. The resistance didn't bleed, so she hauled him to his feet along with herself and rammed him into the nearby tree trunk, where his mouth parted from the impact and she used this as the perfect moment to press her mouth further. At the same moment, she felt him stiffen tensely, before his hands began to protest and press against her, pushing her off.

Persistent on clinging on, yet her will began to slip away... she released her grasp on him and stepped off, her mouth arid from his frosty glare._ Didn't he enjoy it one bit?_ Was the echo that swung with the silent bells. Backing away with light steps, she flushed angrily, looking away with her cheekbones high. "Well..." Ino began, her voice dropping lower. The painful glint in her eyes attacked him. "I-I..." Her knees wobbled just slightly. "-um..."

"You need to stop that, un." Deidara cleared his throat.

"...Stop what?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Forcing me into things I don't want."

For a mere second, shock stunned her, before the anger and humiliation kicked in. "...You don't want me...?"

"Not now," he muttered.

She swallowed loudly, unsure whether he meant at the mere moment, or as the _general _present, or perhaps he meant _now _as in after her actions...? What did he mean? "...Fine." She sniffed, striding past him. "...I want someone who will accept me."

"Tch, where are you going, un?" He questioned, irritation soaking his voice. "You think you can find someone that'll adore you _here_?"

Her lips pursed. "...Well, why not?" She pressed, before strolling into the den.

A detonating shift of emotion took its place; was she serious?

* * *

It was typical for the air to be so eerie in the Akatsuki's lair. Deidara deliberately made his way across the corridor, taking simple steps, occasionally glancing inside of the rooms in search of Ino. If she really had made a move on a member -jealous washed over him-, she'd definitely be dead. Fastidiously placing his hand on one knob, he churned it and it opened with a_ creeeeeek_. For a second, Deidara saw nothing except for the silhouette of darkness, but his eyes fell to the floor, where Ino sat, shied away into the corner.

The blond felt his anger rise at the sight of her, though kept his cool and nonchalantly strode closer to her. The Yamanaka's head lifted fearfully, but her posture softened as she registered who it was, before something struck her and her eyebrows narrowed accusingly.

Deidara, feeling the heat, still kept calm. "...So, this is the first time I've seen you come here on your own will, un." He commented flatly, before cocking an eyebrow. "...Unless someone forced you here?"

"No." She responded. "I came here on my own, as you said." Her note was sharp, and her voice was kept curt.

"Why?"

He was afraid that his instincts would force him to ask if she actually flirted with anyone, but his gut jumped painfully at the thought of how he'd feel if she'd responded with a yes.

"Hmf." Ino shrugged. "Bored."

"And you thought coming here would make things exciting?"

"Hm." She muttered dismissively. Her heart struck as he walked closer, seating himself down beside her.

Deidara forced a chortle. "So, you're ignoring me now, un?"

"Just...shut up." Ino huffed.

Tentative in his words, he inquired, "Did something happen that I should know of?"

She flipped her head to the other side. "No. You don't need to know _anything_."

_Was that a confirmation that she really did...? _Dubious in a more positive answer, he inhaled loudly. "Whatever."

"Are you going to leave, or just disturb me by sitting there?"

"Disturb?" He quizzically questioned.

"Yes, _disturb_. I'm kinda ticked off right now, if you haven't noticed." She shot snidely.

"Rejected _again_?" He forced himself to say the mocking comment, unprepared for her reply.

"I told you to leave."

Neither spoke a word for a long moment. Awkwardly, they just sat there, leaning against the murky walls with their gazes averted and blocked from one another. The intense, heavy air was inevitable, fogging the peace strengthening the tension. Both confused with how they felt had their lips sealed tight, waiting for the other to say something. The frail almost burst into fragments as Ino parted her mouth to speak, but quickly shut her lips back.

She _adored _him. That was a fact that she knew she wasn't capable of denying, and one she didn't. But having her lascivious, sexy ways of thirst for him turned down crushed her ego. Though she was unaware of his vague, indirect jealousy, the fact that he was distraught over _something _made her lips twitch in suspicion. Well, aside from being told to get lost by her.

_I'm just being paranoid. He even said he didn't want me_. She felt her gut tighten at the thought, as she cringed in pain.

"I guess I'll go rest then, un." The oblivion of silence shattered at that, as she watch him rise to his feet before inclining his body to face hers. "You don't want to stay here, do you?"

Hesitation stopped her for a second, before she responded briskly. "Erm, no. But it's the best I can do..." She assured him, keeping her voice leveled. _Unless he'll take me in his bed... _Her heart flipped longingly. It wasn't like she had an option to stand her ground, did she? The kunoichi _needed _to seem stronger. He already saw how frail she was inside, so she needed the opportunity to look stabler.

"Hn."

* * *

When the sky wore the sun as its pendant, Ino awoke in fright from the hands of a nightmare. Tensely rubbing herself, she crawled closer to the door, just _waiting_. Waiting for Deidara to wake up, and apologize to her. But he was never the apologetic type, was he...? Dubiously shaking her head, she flinched at the click of the doorknob. Instantly, the door peeked open. "Hey." The blond male called. "So you're awake now?"

"Good timing," She pressed. "I just woke." Her words were kept to a minimum. Speaking to him didn't seem too enthralling at the time, with how perturb they were being against each other; rejection, anger, sadness - all generally one-sided to her.

"Well, we're leaving now, un." He merely said, gesturing her to follow as he strode out of the room. Meekly, she did so and tailed him to the back of the den, where two large birds were planted against the dusty, fickle ground.

"...Wait," she called, bewildered. "We're going separately now...?" As the words slipped out, Ino wished that they never did escape. It made her sound so _clingy_. The kunoichi didn't want to give the impression that she _needed _him. Assertive, she needed to be assertive.

Deidara sighed, annoyed. "No... Tobi's coming with us."

She blinked. "Tobi? Who's Tobi...?"

"An annoying idiot, un." His fists balled. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't play a huge part while with us."_ Us_. As _average _as it sounded, she loved that. The fact that Ino was being paranoid suddenly clicked and she flushed, despite it being a mental thought.

"Mm, yeah, okay." She responded coolly, proud at how nonchalant she sounded.

And they departed, with Ino drowned into the thoughts of how she would manage with Deidara, or what else would come.

* * *

**I AM SO SORRY. Once more. D:  
This chapter was really shitty, so I'd prefer it if there weren't reviews as opposed to flames or harsh critique .  
Please & thank youu? :D **

**Another apology for the long delay. I PROMISE that it won't happen again! **


	20. Laced

**A/N: Even AFTER my declaration of saying no delay, it still came. D:  
Not as bad as last time, I don't think, but still. Apologiesssss! I've been busy with the end-of-the-year  
stuff that's going on.  
**

**Anyways, here's the chapter! Enjoy! **

* * *

"And then Zetsu-san _kicked _me! Isn't that mean, Senpai! You don't kick your comrade!" The newly introduced Tobi drabbled on about pointless gatherings. Ino felt discomfort swell at his presence - he wasn't what she had expected. The man - no, boy, was moderately tall, being slightly taller than Deidara. His face was suspiciously concealed by an orange wooden mask with spirals etched onto it and a hole carved through one side of his face. His dark tousled hair peeked out from behind the mask, however the rest of him remained curtained. Irony, was what she had expected. This _Tobi _simply could have been one of those happy-go-lucky-ers, but may have posed lethal when it came to assassination and the art of killing.

Ino swallowed.

Was he? Even if her mental theory had been confirmed or not, the malaise wouldn't vanish; she still wanted to be _alone _with the other blond. To have them merely sort out their problems, or create new ones, _alone_. Not have somebody else intercede within their complex, obscure ties. Especially not a _peppy _one, whether it was a facade or not. Sniffing with inner satisfaction as Deidara ordered him to silence himself, the Yamanaka inclined her head and watched the fluffy, gentle cotton clouds dance past.

Three people on a clay bird? Yes, that was exactly what it was. Deidara, as always, in front, guiding the bird in different directions, even as badly as she craved it, she couldn't hold him, or touch him - not with Tobi in front of her, separating them like a curtain. Occasionally, the masked boy's flimsy arms would spur into vivacious gestures, causing her vexation to rise and her fear to invest doubt.

"Senpai...!" Ino grimaced - even if it was better this way, she didn't enjoy being ignored. "Are we almost there...?"

"...Shut up already, un!"

A wicked grin tugged on Ino's thin lips as she cockily raised her chin, suppressing a snicker. That was more like it. However, she let out a flinch as she saw the quizzical glint in Deidara's eye as his gaze shifted from her back to the front.

* * *

"Are...you sure it's safe to get a _hotel_?" She questioned, bewildered by a decision. "I mean... you guys _are _Akatsuki afterall." And...what did that make _her_? She wasn't a complete factor with the villages anymore, but what did the Akatsuki want with her anymore? On what line did she stand on? Good, bad...?

"Well, why couldn't we, un?" Deidara smoothed flatly; Ino raised an eyebrow. "This is a village of non-shinobi; they wouldn't know about us too much, and even if they did and posed action, it'd be walking straight into death, un." He simpered. Tobi, who was told to silence himself, simply giggled.

"Oh." Was her meek response as they approached the counter.

The man cleared his throat. "Can I help you

"Yeah," Deidara nodded. "a room with three single beds would be nice, un." He requested curtly. It wasn't the most sophisticated talk, nor was it very graceful, but Ino questioned whether it was the best _Deidara _could do; he was dangerous, after all.

"Oh... um, we don't offer those here..." The employer informed nervously. Deidara's expression invested a grimace. "But... we can give you two rooms; each with two single beds." He offered sweetly. The blond Akatsuki groaned, balling his hands into fists, but Ino shot him a glare, which didn't seem to mitigate him, however he reluctantly agreed to the offer. After fishing out -probably _stolen_- money, the trio ascended the staircase, silence dawning on them.

"So, Senpai, I guess we'll be sharing a room?" Tobi eagerly questioned, shattering the silence.

It took the blond a short moment for the realization to soak in. "Hell _no_, un!" He thundered, distraught crossing his features as he heavily glowered at the oblivious boy.

"Ah, you want to share a room with your _girlfriend_?" Tobi teased, cackling following the tease, which resulted a heavy kick to his abdomen.

The Yamanaka, who felt nettled, simply turned her head away, something inside of her burning at the thought - burning with wanting. Delicacy crept onto her as Tobi was persistent on proving his 'theory' was in fact, true, though Deidara -as much as it pained her- denied it, even deeming it as ridiculous.

"I'm sleeping alone, un." He declared, striding past them, tossing Ino the keys to her own door. He disappeared behind the door, as he shut it closed, a tinge of annoyance touching his actions. Ino, vapid with the idea of having to be alone with Tobi, felt the trepidation enter her veins. Whether he was harmless or not was still a question floating on a boat...

"Give me the keys, Ino-chan!" He vociferated. "I'll find our room!" _Our _room. Wonderful. Snatching the keys and triggering a sprint, he rushed across the hall in search of rooms. Ino, who was surprised to be so, was tranquil and calmly strode down the narrow corridor.

* * *

Snoring in his sleep, drabbling in slumber and not _shutting up_ was all too much for her to bear. As Ino's arms whipped the blankets off of her oddly warm body, she scurried away to the door, hissing at the creek it made as she slowly opened it. And then, she sprinted into the halls. Deidara's room number was a mystery, though she was able to recall the order it went with the other doors. _It wouldn't be locked, would it...?_ Unfortunately, as the doorknob churned, it didn't budge. A frown endowed onto her face, as she persistently removed the clip from her hair, allowing more of it to drape over her face, and stuck the barrette into lock.

A click made its presence as she felt success tingle through her arms. Turning it once more, it released, open. Reticently, the kunoichi made her way through the door, hush while closing it. She heard gentle, tedious snoring emit from the room. Darkness was engulfed and patched everywhere, making it difficult to see, so she trusted her hearing. Following the rumbling noise, she neared it, the snoring louder. Abruptly, at the worst timing ever, she felt her foot budge over an object lying on the ground, jerking her off balance. Ino felt the shrill air twist by as she tumbled forward, a shriek escaping her lips.

And then landing hit her, the impact of her fall instant. Her body sprawled, the dizziness swirling inside of her.

"What the hell...!" She heard, muffled by the wooziness. It came from beside her; no, wait, _beneath her_. It took her a moment to come to her senses, but she felt the thing beneath her _breath _in and out, and was warm... with a smokey scent. "Ino, is that you, un?"

Ino's voice was shaky. "Y-yeah..." What did she think she was doing anyway! She clearly didn't think this through rationally, but it could've been blamed on her sleepiness.

She felt his body prop itself up, so it was in a sitting position, and it resulted in Ino slipping onto the bed.

"What...are you _doing_, un?" His tone was rather pissy, however tried to keep passive.

"Uhm," she straightened herself out, so that she was sitting on the bed across from him. "I-I couldn't sleep, so..."

"You came here to harass me?" He ended snidely, quite snappy.

Her lips pursed. "I don't know."

Huffing loudly, he continued on. "What did you really expect...?" A glint of curiosity was hidden behind the distraught in his voice.

"I don't know." She shrugged. His curiosity dropped at her reply.

"What do you want?" He groaned, provoked at the disruption of his sleep.

Her gaze dropped feebly as Ino shrugged once more. It was awkward to be seated in Deidara's bed while he had covers draped limply over his body. She took the moment to stare at him once more, taking in his features; his hair was loose - no ties at all, he was wearing the attire under the thick cloak of his, and his headband and scope were gone. His eyes were lazy, his jaw slack as he continued to stare at her intensely, awaiting an answer. Her cheeks were beginning to paint pink; he was _hot_.

"Well?"

"Oh-_oh_-um," She turned her attention back to him. "Tobi's been keeping me up _all _night."

His mouth twitched. "What do you...mean?" He inquired skeptically, biting his lower lip just the tiniest bit in anticipated cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean, what do I mean?" The corner of lips quirked in confusion. "He's keeping me up is..." Her voice trailed off as she realized what he had implied. "_Oh_!" Flustered by such a question, she shook her head rambunctiously. "No, n-nothing like that...!"

His own golden eyebrow arched, but he kept his volume to a minimum level. "...You're getting quite nervous, un." He pointed out, hoping it was just out of embarrassment of being asked the question, rather than letting someone know the truth, if there was one.

"What! No! That's disgusting! I don't even know hi-" Ino's words were cut off as he sealed his hand over her mouth.

"Quiet, un!" He hissed. "There are people around here; we don't want to attract attention to ourselves." He warned her.

His hand pulled away, and she saw its tongue protrude and skim its teeth. Ino flipped her head the other direction, still largely rattled by such a question.

"Well, are you going to leave now?" He asked lazily, however, seemingly _forced_. His limp posture returned as he gazed at her reluctantly. Sucking her cheeks in and pouting her lips, her cheeks tinged pink once more before she rose and scurried towards the door.

* * *

"Morning, Senpai!" A giddy voice broke through the hall. "Get good sleep?"

Deidara's powder sea eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. "No, and Ino didn't either, un." He snorted, almost cynically. Ino turned away, uncertain what the implication was, exactly. Tobi simply didn't reply, probably clueless, oblivious. "Listen, Tobi," Deidara glanced at Tobi scornfully, "...we're gonna alter who's staying in which room, un." It almost seemed as if he was shamed, degraded to say the words, but Ino couldn't help but allow her lips to quirk in a silly manner. If the rooms were being switched, she was most likely to receive her own room. Whatever reason it had, there was a high chance after all that the whole commotion was caused from last night's incident.

"_Oh_? We're going to be roommates!" The goofy Akatsuki member inquired, his voice painted with anticipation.

"Hell no, Tobi." He sneered. "Ino and I will be sharing a room; you can have your own." Deidara briskly summarized. The blond darted an icy look at Tobi, as the boy raised a finger to intercede, but it dropped limply upon receiving the icicles. Ino was baffled by the statement. She should have seen it coming, but it hadn't been the first tme she was oblivious to a prominent future. It was _obvious _that such a moment would strike her. Despite this, the feeling of giddiness drowned all of these out - she was nervous, excited... Over just a roommate. All they were going to do were sleep in different beds, wasn't that all? So what was with the vivaciousness?

But Ino knew the answer; it was a chance. A chance that could be released, missed... or one that could be captured, achieved, experienced - for better or worse. A chance that she wanted to use.

"_Ino-chan_," Tobi whimpered. "can we switch?"

Deidara was provoked; Ino's eyes peeked to the side, carefully watching as his teeth clenched, eyes narrowing with boiling heat. But suddenly, his eye flickered to meet hers, his eyebrow raising as if telling her to answer the boy. Ino averted her gaze, shuffling her feet.

"...No thanks." She mumbled, eyes slitting to spy as Deidara loosened his posture.

And, devastatingly enthralled, the night approached quickly.

* * *

"Uhm, so I get the left bed?" Feebly, she spoke.

Meek as it was, Deidara glanced at her with a simple response. "Yeah, un." Without another word, he sauntered off into the bathroom, and a moment later, she heard raining water pound against the bathtub, steam creeping through the cracks of the door. Taking this as the opportunity to change, she swapped her clothes in exchange for a pair of cotton pajamas, which came as an extra with the room they were residing in, thankfully.

Seating herself on the edge of the nearby bed, she sighed. There was no doubt that she was puzzled with everything that tangled in uneven knots. For a long moment, she pondered pointlessly over what she considered her unfortunate matters. Eyelids heavy didn't stop her strong thoughts from entering her drowsy, tired state.

"Hey, un." She felt her heart clout, excited with ardent vigor at the low voice. "You're sitting on the wrong bed." Almost a flippant comment, she was convinced that it wasn't at the slight quizzically humorous smile that tugged at the tips of his lips, before briskly disappearing. "You look tired."

She laughed dismissively, weakly with exhaustion. "I am." She croaked.

"Get up, go to your bed, and sleep, un." He ordered, curtly.

"Oh yeah." She mumbled, rising. "Sorry." Taking weak steps forward, across to the other bed, she swung herself under the covers, murmuring dreamily.

But as she felt the hands of slumbering dreams reach to her, she realized that one _opportunity_ had shattered, and only few more were left.

* * *

"Don't be long, okay?" The hard, flat tone to his voice told Ino that he meant what he said. Rare as it was, he didn't wear his cloak that moment, as it was too hot to, and there was no reason really. He wasn't on a major assassination or infiltration or anything. It was somewhere near evening, and they decided it was best for Deidara to collect the information soon; an Akatsuki meeting was going to be held in a couple of hours. But, of course, if he was going to be wandering off into the village, with Ino doing _nothing_, it'd be best to keep an eye on her. Things would be easier if she _did _have priorities to complete, or missions to fulfill. But she didn't.

Ino, neither agreeing or declining it, simply crossed her arms and pursed her lips. Deidara arched an expectant eyebrow, and resignedly, she gave a nod. "Yeah, I'll be quick..." A simple mutter; it made him dubiously cock his eyebrow once more. The kunoichi, feeling his powder eyes boring into her, quickly scurried off into the bathroom, darting away from his stare as quick as she could. As the door clicked shut, Deidara shook his head skeptically. She _would _be in there for a while. He knew it.

There wasn't any point in wasting his time there awaiting her long return, so Deidara exited the room, ready to search for somewhere quiet where he could peacefully bond with his art. Ino could hear the door from outside click shut, and at the moment of it, her posture loosened as the depths of pressure evaporated. And she spurred into a peaceful bath.

Hair. Strip. Water. Bath. Enter. The sequence of her toes dipping into the delicately warm water tingled her sensations. Fully stepping into the bath tub, things, as expected, took quite a while.

* * *

"Dam_mit_...!" Ino whined to herself as the water trickled down her hair, her face, her body... _My stuff are in the room... _Her cheeks flushed at any risk of being caught; she wasn't sure whether Deidara was out there or not, and would he at least be kind enough to hand her her belongings? Slowly, the door peeked open as she peered through the tiny crack. Nobody. No presence. No chakra. He wasn't there. Thank goodness.

Tiptoeing out of the room of sanitation, she glimpsed around, eyes keen on searching for the tedious bundle of clothing and towels hidden somewhere in the room. And then, she heard it. Footsteps coming closer to the room, to the door. The chakra's presence suddenly merging into her senses. _Oh, shit. _Her breath caught into her throat, her eyes widened as her scope of vision captured something in sight; an Akatsuki cloak. The perfect shield to having her body revealed embarrassingly. Grabbing it quickly and loosely slipping her arms through the loose sleeves and wrapping it around herself, Ino choked as the doorknob churned. She was deep in the room from grabbing the cloak, and the door was right there.

Still, it didn't hurt to try. As her foot lifted, the door opened and she felt her heart nearly explode as she stood there, frozen. The water continued to drip from her body, skimming her skin gently. An awkward silence took place as he stepped into sight, Deidara's visible eye widening at how... _unforeseen_, unexpected this was. Ino felt her cheeks flare with humiliation, not even the water able to cool her down. Curtained around her damp figure was a loose, large Akatsuki cloak that belonged to _him_.

After a moment of clear shock, he felt the lust rose. _Where did it come from...? Why...! _Biting down on his lower lip, he was able to see her reaction, and clearly view - no _feel _her emotions, as it was prominently scrawled onto her face. Shock, embarrassment... He wanted to see more of it.

Ino gasped slightly as he took a bold step forward. "Hmm." He murmured judiciously as he scanned her shivering figure. "Now, I'm curious how you got into this situation, un..."

"I..." She croaked. There really was no wise response to top off the amusement on his face. And her gaze dropped heavily, to fearful and flustered to look at him. Especially not his face. Oh, definitely not.

She drew a shrill breath as the footsteps got closer, once more. "May I have my cloak back...?" He asked, almost snidely. She could feel the smirk playing on his face as she backed away from him approaching her. "Scared, hm? I'm not going to do anything to you." Another snide comment. Ino was unsure whether he was serious or _not_. It did in fact, scare her inside.

The Yamanaka bit her tongue as her backwards footsteps were stopped upon her damp body hitting the wall. Dead end. Nowhere to back up. To go. He raised a golden, quizzical eyebrow, and, despite the fact that she didn't even _see _it, his hand was molded over her shoulder in an instant. The contact cast cold jolts, even _with _a barrier; the cloak. "Are you going to give it to me...?" He murmured.

"Y-your cloak...?" She whispered shakily.

"Obviously." He chuckled lightly. "Anyways, I need it _now." _At the statement, his eyebrows fixed just the tiniest bit.

"I need to get changed fir-"

His palm immediately slammed her shoulder into the wall, and she cringed at the pain. Cheeks still flushed, her body slowly shuffled across the wall. And then... his other hand locked around the opposing shoulder. But that didn't stop her from slowly, deliberately sliding across the wall, but it was a mistake. She tumbled over, falling gently -from the support of his grip- onto the bed to her side. At the motion, she felt the bottom of the cloak swoop across the air, and panic crushed through her immediately. _Nothing _was beneath the cloak. It was too big. It was loose. It wasn't even _buttoned_. She was vulnerable.

Deidara snickered at the unexpected switch of positions. And then, out of nowhere, deep within his instincts, he found himself crawling onto the bed, just the _slightest _bit, so that he was hanging over the end where she had fallen. _What the hell...? _He found himself thinking as his body moved towards her. _Why am I doing this...? _

_"..._You're _wearing _one yourself..." She whimpered.

"This is Tobi's." He corrected slyly. "I need mine, otherwise both Tobi and I will miss the meeting." He shook his head. "And then that's _big _trouble, un."

Ino's eyes widened, but only at how valiant Deidara's actions were. And she let out a shrill breathless squeal as his finger gently ran across her thigh. "Give it back now, un." Mocking words. He found himself saying; his instincts once more. But to his surprise, he realized that he wasn't stopping it either. He had control over himself. He could feel it. Yet, he _didn't _make himself stop.

"I-I-I could... i-if you gave me one s-second..." She stuttered in protest, her face cherry.

"Hm." His eyebrows bound. "I'm late already, and even if I gave you that change, you'd abuse it and take a much longer time, un." It was true. Even Ino couldn't deny it. But yet, she still did.

"I swe-_ar_." Once again, the kunoichi's breath stopped in her throat as he moved closer, his body now hovering over hers, the distance only thanks to his knees and one hand that pinned her shoulder down. Or, well, the action made her whole body stick.

His finger still ran down her thigh, and she nearly fainted as it went just a little higher than usual. And this was her _bare _skin. Nothing more beneath the cloak. _Holy fu- it was _that _high up. _Ino didn't know the feeling; nervousness, embarrassment...or, possibly _arousal_. Deidara's ghostly smile was taunting - sexy, she had to inwardly admit, and all of a sudden, he was off of her. To Deidara, it needed to be fleeting, the enjoyment; like art - however, still _strong_, but _oh_, the aftershocks were still as vibrant as ever.

A wicked grin tugging at his lips, he said in his low voice, "Alright. I'll give you a small chance. Go into the bathroom, take the cloak off and toss it to me, un."

She obliged, quickly. But she couldn't help but _try _to shake off the strong tingles - though she failed. They were strong, and part of her wondered what would've happened if she'd been an active participant in what had happened. For a short second, regret showered her that she didn't do anything. She could've done _something_. But the fact that _he _had done something to _her _was enough to paint the day a different shade.

As he walked away, swapping cloaks and disdainfully holding Tobi's, he _wondered_. Never had he felt like that. The lust. The temptations. The adoration for _someone else_, too. Well, not since _she _came, that was. He would never had expected it would happen, or that the blond Akatsuki would do it anyway. It was a desire that came packed with Ino. The fact that the lust blossomed in his mind because of Ino. The temptations knitting into his actions because of Ino. The adoration for Ino, _because _of Ino. The desire for her.

All of that.

And he wasn't sure whether it was a good or bad thing.

* * *

**A/N: I hope that suits what you've waited for. Thanks fer reading! **

**Now, THIS TIME I'm not going to say the next chapter will come quicker.  
Because, I don't know if I'll be that dedicated, & I'm also going on vacation tomorrow.**

**HOWEVER, I promise I'll bring my mobile equipment and WILL work on this story - I just want be updating, I don't think.  
Keep your hopes up, if you want! :D **

**And thank you to all of my readers/subscribers/reviewers. Without you guys, I wouldn't be TRYING to keep up with this. xoxo.  
I hope you'll stick to this fic! **

**Reviews are always wanted & welcomed. ;3  
****Anyways, guys, have an amaazing summer ! 3**


	21. Closer

**A/N: I apologize in advance for the long wait for this chapters, and for any possible errors that I missed.  
I wrote about half of this on my plane here to Florida on my iPod, so don't be too harsh. XD **

**This is also a little shorter than others, but I hope it's enough when it comes to detail and effort.  
**

**Also, once more, the next chapter may take a while as I'm still currently on vacation, but I'll try to write as much as I can! **

**Please enjoy the chapter! :D  
**

* * *

Ino blinked feebly. Flustered, she turned her head away from Deidara and Tobi. The blond male felt the corners of his lips quirk into a secretive smirk. Tobi was oblivious to all of this, and both inwardly found it better that way. Despite how her cerulean eyes shied away, she spoke.

"So," She swallowed. "What's the plan?"

He gave her a weak shrug. _"_I need to talk to you for a bit," A flat statement. "so come with me, un."

She cocked an eyebrow, inquisitive on the situation, and began to amble behind him. Tobi began to poke Deidara, tangled with what was going on but was forcefully told to quiet himself. They swerved at corners, exiting the hotel and took countless steps into the emerald frosted forest, leaving Tobi behind.

"What's going on?" Ino asked, a touch of fear harboring her voice. "...Is something bad going to happen to me...?" Her lips began to quiver as her eyes buttered, fearing the answer but wanting it.

The blond Akatsuki rolled his eyes apathetically. "Nothing like that, un." His lips curved curtly, but the sly simper of amusement played on his lips. "I won't do that again." He assured her, though an uncertain touch to it made her wince skeptically, however she saw his eyes flicker, as if rectifying his statement.

"Ah, okay." She nodded meekly.

"So, Pe- our leader says you're too involved with us, un." _That _was what sounded like an envelope to death, didn't it? He looked at her meaningfully to assure her she was fine. "And though you're nothing special when it comes to skill, you're..." Reluctance cloaked his voice as his lips stiffly parted to continue. "Ahm, you're going be Sasori's... subordinate, un." His fists balled as his face turned rock hard, disapproving of his own words. It took moments for the words to chisel into her ears.

Her mouth opened. "S-subordinate? Sasori's...?" Ino's lips wavered. "Why?"

The Yamanaka froze as he moved forward, one half end of his body pressing against the other half of her own. "Do you _want _to die?" He purred, giving permission for his words to contradict his reassurance from before.

"...No..." She whispered with a gulp. "_But_," She interceded as he began to move away. "Why couldn't it be you?" It was an insinuated plead, and that was what she had implied.

He raised a golden eyebrow. "Me?" Deidara asked bluntly.

"Yeah, you."

She watched his mouth twitch in gratification and amusement. "Well," He smirked, amused. "we wouldn't make a good pair, would we?"

Fogged by the base of the question, she pursed her lips, protesting. "Maybe."

He began to amble away, the smirk still present. "If it were us... I think it'd be too..." He hesitated on the perfect selection of words. "_out of control_." He chuckled, strolling away.

Ino drew a deep breath at his ambiguous words; how so? Hate, love, lust, disagreement?

_Out of control_. She blinked, before scurrying after.

* * *

The bedroom was dull; eerie air, tedious colors of grey, brown and black painted the room of its condiments and natural, tousled equipment and objects laid on the cold, dead ground. Deidara's room was lifeless, the only specks of vibrance coming from Tobi, truth be told.

"You want me to stay here?" A disappointed cord struck her voice as the words slipped out.

Deidara peered at her. "Hn, yeah." He said, nonchalantly. "The idea of you sharing with Tobi isn't that great... so you can room with me." His eyes averted immediately as both listeners stared on, stunned. He cynically changed the topic,"I need to catch up with information gathering right now before Sasori gets pissed about doing everything, un."

"Oh?" Tobi peeped eagerly.

"And I don't know why _you're _here with us," he commented dryly, eyes darting at Tobi. "Sasori and I are already a team, un." As much as the words burned in his throat, it was true. And he much rather prefer Sasori over Tobi, though neither needed the details.

Ino glanced at them. "...And Tobi? Where's he gonna be?"

"...I'll save you the trouble; he can come with me, un." His jaw squared at he forced the words out.

The Yamanaka felt herself inwardly beam at his favor for her. "Okay," was her feeble response.

Despite having her eyes locked on the other blond, out of the corner of her orbs, she felt another stare bore into her back, trying to ignore it. _Why the hell is Tobi just staring at me like that? _It was uncomfortable, and Ino hoped that Deidara would notice, but it seemed he didn't as he headed to the door. "Hurry up, Tobi, un." He ordered. There was a pause of silence before Tobi rose eagerly, and she was thankful that the feeling of the stare was gone. Ino turned to eye Tobi suspiciously. though he was already by Deidara's side.

The two men began to leave the room, but just as the blond crossed the door, he turned back to give her a look. "Stay here, and don't do anything bad, un, okay?" He urged. She nodded in obediance. He grinned slyly, a shockingly beautiful simper that reverberated across her spine enthusiastically. _Oh, God. _And the door shut and he was gone.

* * *

The sky mirrored Ino's mind, she had to admit. Up high, the dusty, fickle grey clouds concealed the brightness and cast a shadow of gloomy dread upon the village. That's how SHE felt. Her mind was gloomy, miserable, for some unknown fogged reason. It was bushed, clouded. Clouded by him. It pained her. Seeing his face, his hair, his eyes... Hearing his voice echo like calls from cliffs in her head... It clutched her arousal, pulling her deeper into the depths of her cravings before releasing her back into reality.

She didn't want it. Ino didn't understand. Really, it did shatter her having to think about him - about _wanting_ him, but not having him. Why did she crave him, she knew. He literally followed his art of explosions; he created the most enthralling explosions of instances she'd ever felt, whether it was lust or ardent emotion. He was sexy in his unique way, he was enjoyable, he was amusing, he made her feel special.

But, the question was, why did she crave him _that_ badly? With all of her thoughts binding into one, only one thing concluded in her mind.

He was _Deidara_.

That was why. Ino closed her eyes, sucking in a shrill breath.

And then, suddenly the truth darted at her like knives torturing her in every defile way; something new, oh, _so_ new clicked. _No_.

She loved him.

* * *

"Dammit, where is she!"

Frantic on finding her, he scoured across the room, eyes scoping for the Yamanaka critter.

Where'd she go?

* * *

Deidara ambled across the moonlit field, his eyes peering across the yard. She disappeared. Even after urging her _not_ to, she did. That nerve she had... The Akatsuki felt his skin tighten in frustration. She couldve been _anywhere_. His foot angrily skimmed through the soft, earthy blades of grass as his eyes roved across the trees, the bushes.

_I can't sense her chakra around here... Maybe she's not_- Weeping. Silent, gentle weeps of melancholy echoed, carried by the steel wind. It was a familiar whimper of tears; he'd heard it before. But... It was less rough, less panicked, less pained than he remember. Softer, gentler, _miserabler_.

Following the sound, he stopped abruptly upon watching the trembling girl softly cry helplessly. Her face was shielded by her arms, which hugged her knees to her body. He felt twisted; no pity, no anger. Confusion. What had happened to make the Yamanaka this way...? Why was there always something that had to come across her tears?

"Ino...?" his low voice whispered, tentatively. Ino was struck by the voice that called out to her, and she hesitantly lifted her head slowly, the crystal tears streaming down her soft cheeks. Deidara watched as she froze upon having her eyes lay on him, perplexed at how _glassy_ she looked. It wasn't baffling to see her look so fragile, so _breakable_, but he wasn't able to comprehend the way her eyes faltered after seeing him. Even though she was tough, outspoken, strong-willed, it didn't break the fact that she could collapse at anytime.

_What had happened...?_ The thought crossed his mind once more. There was nothing bad, Pein had said he would allow her to live, so what was the situation...?

"D-Dei...d..." her quivering lips faltered. Her heart throbbed at the blurry sight of him. "I-I... I fell." she lied.

_Pathetic_. He thought. That was the worst lie ever. "I feel insulted, un." he cocked an eyebrow. "Are you implying that you believe I'm an idiot to believe such a ridiculous lie?"

"...No..." she trembled. He stepped closer, and the movement frghtened her, causing her to flinch.

"Ino..." her chest flipped vibrantly at the voice saying her name. "Tell me the truth. No more lies, un. What the hell happened?"

_That's the thing_, her mental voice whispered, _nothing happened_. "Nothing..." she voiced.

"...What the hell, Ino? _Please_, just answer it truthfully, un." he urged, provocation touching his voice.

"I-I am..." He arched an angry brow.

"You really want me to believe that?" he spat.

"It's the truth..." Silence cast on them. Even the stars' song of luminescence had ended. They sprinkled across the sky, shining _darkly_. And then.

"You know..." his voice reflected the darkness of the stars. "Ino," He shook his head, looking down, his bangs curtaining his face. "...For once, would you stop lying, un...!" his tone instantly veered, and he snapped the words at her.

"...Wh-what...?" Her tone invested shock, the jolts of sudden pain appearing and marking their target on her.

A frown quirked his face. "Is it a habit, un?" the words were forceful, urging. "Or can you not trust me?" Ironic as it was, even with him knowing it'd be idiotic to trust an S-rank criminal, it just _felt_ right. Ino felt the glare stab her. And suddenly, she realized _this_ was what shouldn't be released from an Akatsuki; anger. It was one of the most lethal things that could be let loose, wasn't it?

"N-neither..." She whimpered, weak. It didn't mitigate him. Deidara still thought she was beguiling him. "I _am _telling the t-truth..." The Yamanaka whispered softly, her eyes flitting to meet his.

He didn't know. Her eyes held honesty, whereas her words weighed impracticality... Deidara swallowed, crouching down in front of her. Immediately, her gaze dropped, her long, soft bangs shading her face. Gently, which was quite rare with him, his hand softly swept her bangs away, so he was confronted with her broken face, closer, stronger, _right there_.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his fists clench in frustration. Then, instantly, in a swift, fluid motion, he rose before sweeping out of the grass, out of sight.

Finally, Ino was alone for a moment. But now that she was experiencing it, she was unsure whether she really wanted to be left on her own or not.

* * *

Deidara fumed angrily as he marched through the hallway. Whether she was lying, whether she was an idiot, whether she was crazy - he didn't know. He didn't have answers. He _needed _the answers to mend the torn anger that drilled across him. What had pestered her, what had been the reason of her rolling tears... He growled viciously at _not _knowing.

"Hey! Senpai!" A figured bounced into sight. "I was looking for you!"

The blond squared his shoulders. "Get out of my way, un!" He thundered, plowing past Tobi.

Tobi backed away slightly, before taking his and reaching towards the blond. "Senpai...?" Instantly, as Tobi's fingers were inches away from touching his shoulder, he whirled around, his fist tightened and it snapped out immediately. The masked boy went flimsy, swinging his body to the side, able to just barely dodge the maneuvered punch. "Ngah!"

As he recovered, Deidara had already left for his room.

* * *

He was gone, temporarily, she speculated. His belongings sat lifeless on his messy bed when she had gotten back _very _late at night. Ino couldn't sleep; she had tried all night, all _morning_, all _afternoon_, but to no avail, it had failed. The damp, dusty, grey clouds were rolling in once more - it was somewhere around sunset, yet the sun never showed. Would he be back soon?

Lugging herself off the bed, she skidded out of the hotel, unprepared, unorganized - and for once, she didn't care. The shadow cast from the clouds was dim, _very _shady. She wandered across the grass, away from the building, from the villagers - to get alone, to _think_.

Why was it so bad? A regular life was slowly slipping out of her grasp; uncontrollable as it was, it probably had already slipped away.

She shook her head adamantly to herself - there was still hope, wasn't there? And at the way her chest faltered, at how her shoulders slumped, she knew the answer.

And the tears began to fall once more.

* * *

The wind caressed his face, shoveling his bangs, cooling his blood... Flying - the perfect treatment to cool his temper. He released a heavy, exhausted sigh, eyes narrowed, locking and scouring for Sasori. Where'd the damn bastard go anyway? Probably out, finding information which was what _he _was supposed to be doing, but at the time, relaxation was all he needed, nothing to fan the flames. He was flying mere inches beneath the misty clouds, allowing it to dust his head like feathers of wind.

Suddenly, Deidara's eyes darted at a splotch engulfed by trees; a purple splotch to be more specific. He felt his skin tighten, veins tensing. _Trouble, obviously. I shouldn't go down there. _But he did. Despite his will, his thoughts, his _dignity, _the bird descended.

Ino choked on her tears and throat as feet met the ground with a padded thud.

"Go away..." Her voice muffled as she turned away, shielding her face from him as to protecting how shameful she felt.

"What did you just say, un?" He spoke. "Say it again."

Valiantly, she repeated herself. "I said, go awa-" Her sentence was snipped as fingers held her chin and jerked it up, forcing her face to lock in front of his. Of course, the same face painted with sorrow was introduced to him, right in his face, right there.

"Say it again." He breathed, eyes narrowing.

But she didn't have the nerve to.

Deidara continued. "Do you want to try again? Try telling me what's your reasoning behind all of this?" He snarled, as she attempted to free her chin from his grasp.

"I-I can't..." She breathed. Droplets began to plummet across the sky, beating on the ground, on the trees, on their heads. It wet their hair, stained their skin and drowned their breath, yet he didn't move or repel from the position - he was persistent.

His grip tightened. "Why, un?" His face was getting blurry from the tears that buttered up. She hoped that the rain, which was now falling badly, strongly, would disguise any evidence of tears.

"...I just can't."

"_Ino_," He growled.

The hostility and animosity that netted his words chained her, haunting her. The way his voice caged her, threatening to strangle her with even more words was far too much, and she knew that she wouldn't hold out for it. That her sanity would completely die if she bottled it in. Ino needed to let it out - once, twice, however much it needed to free her from the terror and guilt of locking it away from him. The tears broke out, streaming down her face, and still with hopes that the actual rain would cloak her truthful tears.

But he could see them. Deidara could see her tears of sadness.

She continued to weep in submission, even as his hands softened on her chin, and his fingers stroked her cheeks as if comfortingly caressing her. She choked on her tears, her state, but what suffocated her most was the words she spoke next.

"I love you."

* * *

**A/N: I hope you're all satisfied with this chapter. ^^  
The feeling of your confusion will be answered in this next chapter, most of it, that is.**

**Thanks everybody who's continuing with reading my fic; I really love you guys. And for everyone who had just recently subscribed too. :'D  
Again, I'm sorry for the long wait, but I'm still on vacation. :]**

**Once more, thank you~! && even if the next chapter is long, I hope it's anticipating. ;D **

**Reviews are lovely . X3 **

**

* * *

**

_The following is my response to _**_'Dedicated Fan xD' _**, _since I can't properly reply to the message via FF . net system. :D _

_I'd just like to say that I can't just ignore such a review and that i HAD to reply to this. X3  
Of course, thank you so very much for reading my story, and reviewing on top of that. I'm glad that you're enjoying my story, and I feel so energized from receiving such positive, friendly feedback, so thanks so much for that! _

_I too would agree that my writing has improved from the start, and I'm glad that you pointed that out. I'm also happy that you're able to follow with my writing and it strikes you in a way, because it gives me confidence in myself and motivates me to the best with how I write. :D _

_Ahaha, I'm ALSO glad that you noticed the whole "roles reversal" thing. X3  
I purposely did that, but only indirectly to play with readers' minds, so it makes me content to see that someone noticed it. :p _

_The confusion of Deidara & Ino's relationship does play a huge role in this story, so it's good that it's quite prominent out there and adds to the anticipation. _

_Again, thank you so so so so much for the review && I do feel much more motivated to this story.  
Thanks! [As if I hadn't said that enough. :P] .  
_


	22. Whisper In The Rain

**A/N: OH MY GOD.. I am SO SO SO SO SO SORRY . I KNOW that you've heard this pathetic excuse EVERY SINGLE TIME, but I do feel _really _guilty right now. D:  
Ready for my lame excuse? I know you've heard this tons. But. I've. Been. Kept. Busy. With. My. LEARNING. Yep. **

**It's that time of the year where we just have to go to classes & courses, and it's so darn tiring. I apologize once more! I can't guarantee that I WON'T take that long again, but... I WILL try my best to finish the chapter more quickly. **

**Also, just a warning that this chapter can be confusing, a little sloppy/a few errors. Why? Confusing because I am under the pressure of a lot of things, so I sorta wrote this while having a tangled mindset. I'm so so sorry if there is any OOCness in this! I am a hater of OOC but yet I know that I have done/do it in my works too. I also hate hypocrisy, which is me being a hypocrite, ironically. D: My keyboard has been really screwed up lately, so there may be a lack of words in some phrases, spelling errors or punctuation mistakes. I WILL GET ON THESE AS SOON AS I FIX MY KEYBOARD. I AM USING AN ONLINE KEYBOARD TO TYPE THIS AS OF NOW. So you can understand how difficult it can be right? ;3**

**It's not normal of me NOT to reply to your reviews. I know that I missed a few, but promise that I'll reply to the ones this chapter.  
**

**Okay okay , so you're probably going to ignore this note but anyways, enjoy!  
**

* * *

Motionlessly, Ino watched him. Deidara was still, his eyes registering no emotion, painfully empty with his jaw and cheek rock-hard, yet oddly enough, slack at the same time, harboring a blank mask. She sat in twisting suspense that churned her insides like a twister blending her, the screaming silence of his face dawned on her mercilessly. As much as she wanted, as strong as her will was to tear her eyes away from his ongoing reaction, she couldn't. The rain continued to fall and beat on their heads, on the grass, soaking everything in sight but behind all of that, Deidara could only hear one thing.

A rapid, drumming beat recording in his chest, pounding.

He forced his mouth to open, "Why?" was the single word that slipped out.

"...H-huh?"

"Why do you...?" How crisp, clean and brief his words were made her heart throb menacingly. He cleared his throat. "An artist needs to know what features his art appeals to his audience, un."

_Art being him? _She wasn't going to tell him. "I...I d-don't know." Her tears still rained down her cheeks, fusing with the rain drops.

"Tch," he grunted at her bitter words that stabbed him. "then you _don't _love me, un."

Ino's body quivered uncontrollably - what should she do? Go along with it? Continue on? Or tell him why? Something whispered in her mind; _don't make him mad again - tell him the _truth_. _She drew a shallow breath at what an incredulous, obvious response it was. He _had_ just reprimanded her for _lying_, for being unfaithful after all. Deidara arched an inquisitive, impatient eyebrow skeptically, dropping it as she parted her lips. "I do," she protested. "I do love you." Finally, at the wrong time, she was able to avert her eyes. "It's just... you're so d-different..._unique._"

_Different_?_ Unique_? He stared at her flexibly. _  
_

"In personality and thoughts... just the way you are," she swallowed, her voice escalating and falling. But she forced herself to speak. "I like you like that."

Everything fell silent. The raindrops suddenly dropping silently, her whimpers of sorrow like a whisper from the stars. Even his eyes refused to retaliate to such a statement; instead, they dropped weakly, unable to scope out words to return. Deidara felt his fingers loosen, limp and dead.

"A-" He began, voice wavering. "And..." He sighed. "why are you upset about that, un?" His mouth curled, as if snarling but what came out were only words. Just words. But still, he was totally miffed, his words vicious with force compressing against her.

Her thin lips were pressed intensely against one another, unwilling to speak but she did so anyway - as weak as she was, as small as her will was, he _couldn't _be angry over how _she _felt about things. "_Because_," the audible force in her tone surprised her. "Because I _have nothing _anymore!"

Deidara flinched, taken back at how her voice had ascended. "Tch." A dry syllable.

"You don't _understand_, and you never will." Ino growled. "My village rejects me! All of my friends, my family... I don't have them anymore!" Slowly, gradually, but noticeably, her crying evolved into ripping sobs, face drizzled with drops of rain and tears of sadness. "And all because of _you_. If it weren't for _you_, none of this would have never happened to me!" She cried.

He merely stiffened.

"And to have... _these feelings_ for _you_...! It... feels like I'm betraying them..." She whispered, full of shame that offended him.

His head throbbed, confused. His hands twitched, shocked. His teeth clenched, angered. But he sealed his mouth, not wanting to speak, not wanting to react.

"Just, please." She shook her head. "Try to understand for once."

Behind his lips, his teeth ground adamantly against her statement. Her buttered eyes lifted, fleetingly gazing into his before dropping, hand lifting to sweep the rain and tears off her face. _He wasn't flattered. He was miffed. He didn't care. He cared about other aspects of it, but just not the most important. _The Yamanaka felt her mouth waver painfully, ready to break until she forced herself to speak, using words as glue. "Can we just... leave?" She drawled, foot slipping on the slick grass as she tried her luck at standing.

Surprisingly, she made it, though it was hard to balance with the wet grass and her wobbling knees. She was going to collapse any moment.

But all he was able to do was watch her walk back to the hotel in such a degrading state.

* * *

Beyond the darkness and silence, all he heard was breathing. Distinguishably, one that escalated and fell with anger and hopes of resilience, another that was fickle, yet shortly sweet, baby-like and delicate. Every so often, it'd briefly get raspy before gradually returning to a smoother, cleaner pattern. Ino, what was she dreaming about, Deidara wondered. He motionlessly laid in his bed, body flipped to face Ino's bed. Unknown to her, in her slumbering state, he stared at her all night. He watched her react in her sleep, watched her weep, watched her breathe, yet he knew things weren't solved.

_She loved him_. At the most unexpected moments would that _fact _suddenly pounce into his head. He'd snarl. Flickers of her hurt expression at his lack of friendliness recalled as well. She had no right to feel that way about his response, he thought cynically.

She didn't know anything.

* * *

The annoying rustling was nonstop, and his eye broke open upon a loud, disrupting tumble. Deidara hauled his upper body forward, groggily perceiving what the damn thing that woke him up was.

"_Ugh_." Ino groaned, mustering herself up from the floor. Upon feeling his eyes scrutinizing her, she stiffened, afraid, unnerving, _unsure_ on what to do. Drawing a breath, she recovered from the floor, squaring her shoulders. "Morning!" She chirped, forcing a bright smile. The Yamanaka _would not _allow her pride and identity to be lost, just because of the day before.

A provoked eyebrow raised. "It's early, un." He yawned with a snort.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"What are you doing up so early?"

Actually, she didn't know. Feigning a snort that ricocheted off her lips, she rolled her eyes. "I don't want to be _lazy_." She drawled.

His skin tightened over his veins. Why was she acting like this? Did last night not _matter at all_! She was acting as if her words, and his response meant _nothing_. Her lips curved in disapproval, but yet, he didn't realize he was getting so mentally worked up. He didn't realize he was mad. As idiotic as it was, it wasn't his fault he was oblivious for this, and mistook it for _believing she way  
_

_

* * *

_She breathed. The air acting as a freshener and regenerating her dry throat. Quite convincing, her act was, right? Her lips slightly tugged into a pleased smile; she had done good, the pretense. Her legs sprawled across the grass, her torso upright, relaxed as the grass provided as a comfortable, soft bed. Her eyes glowed against the sun brightly, as Ino took another breath. But slowly, they began to deflate, smoldering, and crashing as the _reason_ why she had done it entered her mind. It pained her chest, making it throb gently, but so so dominantly.

Why? Why did it have to be _him_? Out of all people... Whatever. Her village. Her village was _much _more important. But... was it really _her _village anymore? The thought strangled her breath as she inhaled. No, _it wasn't_. She was... a missing-nin now, wasn't she? Or at least that's what they thought. _Exhale_. It _did _pain Ino to know that everything that she had harbored from growing up - everything she had _loved_ - was now gone. _Look on the bright side_. A whole new start. _Her way_. The way _she _wanted. A tingling, exciting sensation began to soothe itself in her heart.

True, her "defection" from her village wasn't entirely fixed... But time would past, and things would heal, right? A new experience. And what better way to start it with Deidara! His name entering her mind immediately tossed her insides into knots. _Oh yeah_, that again. And to know that she had _just _forgotten about that... Still, he didn't _act _like he was disgusted. He didn't _act _like it was foolish... Another breath cured and soothed the burning inside of her. _Things will be better_. She assured herself. Ino was a _lot _better at self-reassurance now, wasn't she? A slow, deliberate smile played on her face. She was convincing herself, the confidence slowly, slowly draining back - it was better than nothing.

"Where's Deidara?" A low, rumbling voice demanded.

For the briefest of moments, she froze at the vague voice, before the flow of recognition circulated across her. "Sasori." She breathed, craning her head to look up at him. Or at least align her own head with his... puppet face.

"_Where is Deidara_?" He repeated, snarling the words with impatience.

"Oh," She fret. "uhm, I-I think he's in the hotel room..."

He turned to leave, gradually before pausing. "Just a word," He spoke. "I never chose for you to work alongside of me. But, as my subordinate, you should know that you _have _to obey my directions, _respect _me, _do not_ get in the way of matters, and definitely do not _push your limit_." He warned, a dangerous, threatening edge to his commanding tone.

She swallowed nervously at the shadow he cast, nodding weakly, and shakily. "Yeah... Got it." She parted her lips. "Wait."

He halted with reluctance and provocation at her order. "_What_?" He snarled.

"I-I... um, you-you can't lay a finger on me!" She shouted. "Okay?"

He shook his head. "_Why _would I do anything like that?" before sauntering off.

The Yamanaka sighed in relief; at least she knew she wouldn't be turned to wood.

* * *

"_Inoooo-chan!" _The kunoichi was startled by the ecstatic voice. "Hey, hey! What are you doing alone here?" Tobi probed, peeking his eye close to her face as he skidded to a stop in beside her. He giggled. "You're never alone." His sneaky chuckles made her feel like she was missing out on some sort of secret.

She cocked an eyebrow. "And what do you mean by that?"

"_Wellll_, you're always with Deidara Senpai! Don't you feel... unsafe when you're not with him? When you're all _alone?_" He giggled once more.

She arched another eyebrow. "Why should I feel unsafe? I can protect myself, you know." Her lips puckered and stretched into a non-appealing sneer.

"Oh, well, I don't know." He pepped, as if dumbfounded. "Ah, well, see you later Ino-chan!"

_What an idiot he is. _Her curt lips curled in distaste as her eyes roved the bright skies. Plump, soft, frilly clouds decorated them, gliding across them slowly. She breathed in the scent; the scent of nature that surrounded her. Her senses were ultimately filled with the sweet scents of earthy blossoms, touched with a hint of grass. A smell that Ino was very familiar with.

"What are you doing here, un?" Deidara's familiar voice jerked through the air.

Her eyelids fell lazily over her cerulean eyes. "Relaxing," she breathed, almost heavenly.

He didn't like that. "_Why_?" He probed, rudely. Annoyance tinged his voice, making it crabby, stingy and deadly. But what had motivated him to feel that way was still something he found as a mystery. Still oblivious to his thoughts and annoyance at her continuous lack of response, he raised a cranky eyebrow. "You were talking to Tobi just now - you call talking with such an annoying dumbass relaxing?" Was she lying again? Was that it? Stupid Tobi... whatever he was talking to her about, he disapproved.

"Just stuff." She shrugged. He didn't need to know. Especially since _he _was their subject of conversation.

Deidara's lips strut with a snort. "Huh."

"What do you want?" Ino found herself asking, provoked.

Taking slight offense in her adamant sneer, he scoffed. "I'm trying to find an open area to enjoy my art." He breathed, before peering at her in _forced _distaste. "This is the perfect spot. Get out unless you want to die, un." A threat was a nice touch, wasn't it?

_Die_? She gulped- No... He wouldn't _dare _do that. Never had Deidara harmed her, so why should she be afraid now? Clearing her throat as the empowerment rose, she used one adamant, defying word. "No." She objected as another sneer lurked her lips. "Go somewhere else."

"Tch, there _is _nowhere else. This is best I can do, otherwise the villagers will get suspicious, un."

"Yeah, cause wearing an S-class uniform around is _so _safe." She rolled her eyes. Despite the eerie mood, the heat tension, Ino could feel a laugh bubble deep down in her throat as she locked it in, concealing it with an innocent, lazy drop of her eyelids.

"_Move. Now._" He snarled with animus. The pique of his growing growl was obvious, causing Ino to shudder. _Weirdo with his art_...

"I already said no!" She snapped, her own animosity beginning to torch.

The kunoichi's eyes flared with anger as their gaze locked as a glare. Almost in an instant, Ino found herself staring into _those _eyes again, and for some strange reason, she saw a _similar _tint in his eyes as the recent night of her confession. The frustration, the intensity, the distance... But there was one difference. He was angry, and hostile. Cranky. When she had opened up, true, he was frustrated, inquisitive and stiff and _aggressive_, but he wasn't _bitter_.

Having this thought, it gave her more confidence. She turned away, snootily and sprawled her legs wide.

His teeth bound in frustration as his arm rapidly shot out. Deidara's hand clasped her shoulder, instantly, as the shrill shocks electrocuted her. Reflexively, she gasped and swat his hand off as he proceeded to jerk her out of the area. Her eyes steadied amongst his, careful and tentative with a slight warning. It was weird. The vibe and how eerie everything had morphed into...

And what was it that it did?

"Just find another place, _please_." She urged; his presence was starting to bring her into the slumps.

Immediately, his hands balled into fists. As he observed her hesitant eyes, he watched as they began to sink into anger, sadness, confusion... Tenderly breathing as his temper began to wind down, he actually... _let it slide_. "Ino," He voiced, leveling it so it was moderate enough. "Do you feel okay, un?" The inquiry was completely blatant and out of nowhere. Ino merely blinked in bewilderment.

But _did _she feel alright? She did, before he came, right? "Yeah," She muttered weakly. The confusion still spiked her. Why did she feel so _bad _all of a sudden? When he came, her assurance just shattered. Slowly, for that matter. Her head churned as he walked away.

Of course. As if it wasn't obvious enough.

He never said he loved her back.

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**A/N: Aish, despite my pessimistic mind, I really really hope that this chapter was worth the terribly long wait.  
Just remember that I am still dedicated to writing this story! **

**Yes, I had a slight name change. Only because my current one was seriously annoying me. X3  
Also, if you're EVER in doubt of me posting a chapter, you can go to my profile & check if I've posted an update. If I take too long with writing, then I WILL post a small note to let you all know that I'm not dead, or I haven't quit or anything. **

**Once more, thank you for the support guys! **

**R&R !**

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**_Response to _'Dedicated Fan xD' , again. ;D

This is going to be a small response, since this internet keyboard is annoying me so much! I just want to say that your reviews keep me on my toes & happy!  
Thanks for reading & reviewing! I'm flattered on what you think of my story & writing. ;heart  
From reading your reviews, I have a vibe that you have a pretty good, nice writing style! If you ever post a fic on your own account, notify me & I'll check it out! Fanfiction is my love.

Now for the long chappie .. D: This wasn't exactly the longest one, but.. I hope it'll do!

Thank you once more! ;heart

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_Response to _'ecechan' .

Why thank you so much! It pleases me A WHOLE LOT to see that! Thank you for reading & reviewing! It makes me bubbly when I get support! C:


	23. Break My Hand

_**Heya guys . I hope this was sooner than last time ! **_

_**Uhm , I'm not sure whether my updating times will be on and off. I just .. I'm sensitive to my feelings and emotion, and there's just some things that are seriously bringing me down right now .. It feels like things are perfectly fine for one minute, where I strive to make the full effort , and the next , my hope and desires just feel so far away...  
I guess fluttery sparks can only last for so long.**_

_**Anyways, taking this in, I'll either just lose my spirit and sulk ... making me a little less motivated to continue on with my stuff. Or I can always want to escape my reality and into the world of fandomness- whatever . Blah . Anyways, don't get the wrong idea. I am NOT saying good bye to this story, nor am I saying that I'm taking a break. I'm just not sure how long some chapters will take . ^^ DEFINITELY WILL NOT STOP WRITING THIS!  
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_**Alright, alright . Enjoy!**_

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**Hi guys. This is Brighty's friend ; she's just sorta bleh lately so I'm managing all of her accounts. She had this chapter finished so I might as well post it for her. Erm, don't know when she'll be back? She's doing something important at the time, so we should just hope! **_**  
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His eye. That was the only thing Ino could see. He stood there, in the blinding darkness, motionless. And of course, his head. His _eye_. And of course, as he had usually displayed, only one eye was visible. She was used to that. Being only able to see his one eye. Except. Never so still. The way his gaze lingered on her skin, the way it shocked her frozen - it was menacing. Frightening. Terrifying to just watch his naked eye scrutinize her like that. But the way he did so; it webbed her like silk. No anger. No sadness. No confusion. Just an emptiness, staring. His dark, Akatsuki cloak camouflaging his body, allowing only the blood clouds to be seen, as he continued to let his one visible eye stare.

Tobi sauntered forward.

* * *

Her eyes cracked open, just the tiny bit. Allowing the blurs of the to sharpen, her eyes widened as in her sight was... none other than the "man" in her dreams. "T-Tobi?" She croaked in accelerated shock and fright. "What are you doing?" She gasped at the mask that hovered over her head. For a moment, he was quiet.

Then he leaned away from the edge of the bed. Giggling, he mustered up the words, "You look weird in your sleep, Ino-chan!" He tittered, his patching up where his mouth supposedly was screwed. "...What were you... dreaming about?" He inquired, leaning his head closer once again. Ino blinked, before taking her hand and using it for the good sake of shoving him out of the way. Lugging her body upright, she slid her lazy figure off the bed to waveringly plant herself onto her feet.

"Well?" Tobi piped, rather enthusiastic about it.

"Oh _please_." The kunoichi groaned, stepping away from the boy. But he was... persistent? And clasped his hands around her arm, giving her no escape. "_Hey_." The words slipped through her ground teeth as she dangled her arm, trying to break free like a helpless, snapping fish. Too close for comfort, her eyes narrowed icily. But, of course, he didn't let go.

"_Hey_," a deep voice called, familiarly. "let go, da, un." Curt, slack words drifted out of Deidara's tainted lips. He raised an expectant eyebrow, almost _knowing _and suggestive.

"Huh?" Tobi churned his head, gazing at Deidara's figure for a brief second before prying his hands away from her clammy arm fastidiously. "Ohh." He answered bleakly. She stared at them, suspicion creeping up and then forgotten as she watched the masked boy's figure pace away. Deidara stepped away, giving him space to exit through the door, as she turned around.

Inhale and exhale... "Finally alone, huh?" She mumbled to herself.

"Not quite, un." An instant, chilling voice forced a shriek out of her as she whirled around, her eyes sharpened.

"I thought you... left with Tobi," She clamored, the feeling of stupidity hooking onto her. "You scared me." She meekly muttered. Talking to him didn't feel all that right... Ino definitely knew she was regretful; her reactions to him - they wouldn't be the way they were if she hadn't confessed. They wouldn't be so awkward, if not for her. But without remorse, _he didn't care, did he_? Her pearly quartz stabbed into her bottom lip.

His eye merely glossed her once. "Yeah, well, maybe you should stop being so sensitive." The word reverberated across his spine - one of the first words he could think to describe her, wasn't it?

Displeasure marked her eyes as she snorted. "I am _not _sensitive..." A pout painted her lips as she turned away.

"Hn, whatever." The blond male shrugged the topic off. "...Ino, are you alright?" The words were sudden - completely out of nowhere, but it was something he had to get off his shoulders.

Her lips tightened at the question. _Was _she? She _had _to be. What had happened to the confidence from the day before? "Yeah." Her lips parted stiffly, tongue shoving the words out. Ino's nose wrinkled scornfully. "Why do you ask? I feel perfectly fine."

Her answer, in a way, disappointed Deidara. "Oh." His eyes dropped tediously, standing there mindlessly.

She waited.

"What, un?" He muttered, feeling her gaze coating him - it was rude to just stare, and _annoying _at that.

"...Are you gonna leave?" Her lips pursed expectantly as her eyes absorbed his meek presence. "Or... um, do you have something to do?" A little less lackluster, her voice dropped.

"Like what?" He mumbled loudly, almost firey over her oblivious response. _Didn't she realize that he was there to... kill time? _

What rights did this bastard think he had? Her heart flipped - _she liked that, right_? His coolness - his exclusive, untouchability? "I-I unno..." She murmured flagrantly herself. "Like, your _art _going out with a _bang_?" Her blatant comment was filed with another intruding purse of the lips - this time as if it was the most obvious answer ever. Which it was.

"...Are you _mocking _me?" The words were brazen with hostility. She merely blinked in response. "_Are you_, _un?"_ Slowly, almost hesitantly, she crookedly shook her head in response, big eyes with confusion in them. But he approached her, quickly. His hands grabbed her shoulders with hostility, yet ironically _gently_, before he slowly pushed her against the nearby wall. His eyes pierced into hers, despite having one curtained by the drape of his golden hair. She swallowed uneasily; at both his aggression and distance. He was _so _close, his head inclined towards hers, expectantly waiting for an answer. "_Well_?" He snapped.

But her voice was caught in her throat as his icy breath mingled against the skin of her delicate face, drawing her senses closer. And the way he didn't _intend _to do it made it all the more tempting. Ino's cheeks flushed into a flirtatious shade of pink as she swallowed against her jumpy nerves. How would it feel to just lean in and steal his lips in hers? She _wanted _that reassurance; the thought of him just kissing back, even for the slightest moment as if reassuring her himself. And not with her pathetic thoughts - the _real _thing.

She tore her eyes away from his, cheeks tinting once more. "No! I swear...!" Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the barrier arms that pinned her to the wall loosen, but they gave no escape. And she could still feel his heavy breath. Not on the kunoichi's lips or nose or eyes this time... rather her cheek. Her _bare, _stainless, cherubic cheek.

She was overreacting, she knew it. One simple thing - but it was her to make turn it into such a big thing. No one could understand how she felt. No one could understand the simple hormones that jumped at just about anything. No one could understand how something so small could be something so big to one's mind - that it wasn't weird. That it wasn't being strange. It was just feelings being feelings. But no one could understand that. Especially him.

Ino shrugged out of his arms, taking unbalanced steps away. feeling Deidara's eyes scornfully scrutinize her. "I didn't mean to..." She mumbled. "Sorry, kay?" And with the last word out, she scurried into the bathroom.

It happened too soon. Deidara stared. And the thing was, he _had _to worry about whether if she was alright or not. She was... strange. Too abrupt, too flagrant, too outspoken, too instant... too distant. He didn't like it.

* * *

"Huhuhuu... You really like Senpai, huh?"

It was hard to scour and pack all of her stuff with Tobi's disruptive comments everywhere. Her eyes fixed on her hands, which were holding wooden knobs and joints. It was disgusting - as Sasori's subordinate, he had ordered her to clean and pack his belongings. True, she was a medical-nin for sure, but _still_. What kind of shit was this? It was completely we-

"Ha, you're not replying? Hehe..."

Still, she needed to pack the kunai and shuriken for extra measures, and for herself as well. Her hands snatched the extra cloak that laid on the floor. Would she get her own cloak soon? Do subordinates get cloaks? Would they allow _her_ to u-

"Ino-_chaaaan_," Tobi wailed.

Her eyelids shut in defeat as she gritted her teeth. "Shut it." She clamored, as she delicately folded the material and fabric. _How _in the world did she get into this? _How _did she become a subordinate for one of the _Akatsuki_'s members? Why would they allow _her_? She wasn't terribly weak... but she had no skill to serve or help them. And how the hell did she turn into a threatened captive into working on _their _side? Did she want to? Did she like it? Despite Ino's defiance to the village throwing her away, was she satisfied with working with the Akatsuki?

"_INO-CHAAAAN_." He cried even louder.

"_What_!" She barked.

"Erm," He squirmed in his seat as if he were meekly blinking throughout the brisk silence. "nothing." He squeaked.

Her eyes narrowed at his response, her lip curling over her teeth. "You mean you bothered me just for _that_?" She spat.

This Ino sure was meaner than before. She had developed vastly; from a girl who was awkward to Tobi, to thinking she overpowered him? _Ha_. "Hehe! Um, I just thought... do you _actually _like Senpai?" He snickered, and she could just imagine him winking beyond that mask.

"What's it to you?" She muttered curtly, her tone fading as if telling him the conversation had dropped.

"You do!" He exclaimed giddily.

"_Wait wait, what_?"

He chortled. "Well, if you _didn't_, wouldn't you have just said that? But _nooo_." He drawled; she could almost _feel _the grin he was directing. "You _do _like him!" The words suddenly streamed memories back into her head. Memories unwanted.

"No I don't." She huffed with a scoff. "Why are you even asking this?" The Yamanaka sneered.

"Well, just curious!" He laughed. His voice lowered. "Don't worry, I won't tell him." He whispered slyly, and she could feel another grin.

"_Stop!_ I don't, ya hear?"

"You guys are _incredibly_ disruptive, you know that?" A gravelly, cool voice injected with annoyance. They both turned to face Sasori. He was in his regular form; his tousled, burning hair swaying to the sides, with his dead eyes flickering at them. "Ino, are you finished?"

She fumbled with her hands. "Err, almost."

He sighed - a steady one, but provoked. "You know I dislike _waiting_," He growled. "Hurry it up, and then we're going to leave." Ino blinked. Leave? Them? No Deidara? Deidara wasn't going to be flying with her on his bird? Sasori could see this confusion, "You're my subordinate, officially. For the time being, you'll be under my wing. Hurry already so we can leave." He urged.

"WAIT." Tobi interfered. "Ino-chan and I are going for a walk after this!"

Sasori's menacing glare made Ino freeze. "_No_, we're going to be departing onto the next location."

"But... _why not_?" Tobi's confidence - his posture, aura began to droop, yet stiffen and his determination spiked.

"First, I don't want to waste my time waiting for you to finish an idiotic walk. Second, Konoha shinobi are scouting the area; we'll all be targeted, and we also don't need to deal with the issue of Ino's status." He curtly explained, a flat tone coating his words.

"Wait, _when _did we establish going on a walk?" Ino probed, angry with the statement.

Tobi scratched his head. "I want to, right now!" He was half-way to wailing again by now.

Both the kunoichi and puppeteer bound their eyebrows, but instantly, Tobi had snatched Ino's hand in his own and lugged her out of the room. It was too quick and rapid for her to register; everything was a blur - even Tobi's touch seemed somewhat deliberate and dark. It was hard, strong and locked onto her like cuffs. She was scared as he held onto her, but things got even more twistingly bewildering when Tobi did his usual; a nervous giggle. Except, Ino was a Yamanaka. She knew better than to believe it wasn't a cover-up.

* * *

"_What the_- TOBI. Let go!" Her hand tremored and jerk wildly, and he had no choice but to release. "The hell? _Fine_. We're going on our walk, _happy_?" Ino's words were crabby, snapping dangerously at him.

"Hehehe, sorry..." He chuckled. "Uhm... c'mon! Let's go!" He began to take slow, swift steps ahead - a little _too _slow. Ino cocked an eyebrow but ambled in a more average pace. _What an _ass! She kept her gaze straight and focused on where she was walking, Tobi's steps barely keeping up.

But then his steps stopped. Ino ignored this, however. If he wanted a walk, he'd get one. And who knew what trouble she'd get into with Sasori; it was all _his _fault. Tobi's! That little, measly, annoying, suspicious, retarded, idiotic, goofy, silly, stupid dummy!

"Ino," A new voice spoke - it was deep, low and darkly unfamiliar. Slowly, she craned her head around, but she screamed before she saw anything, and everything lost illumination and color.

* * *

It was uncommon for Deidara to be so cranky while peacefully flying. He had tried several methods to cool his temper; exploding trees, some people and simply watching the delighting detonations. But, despite his joy and satisfaction, it just didn't feel _right_. Not yet, it didn't. Why? _Perhaps it was something to do with what Ino said... _It provoked him to think that his art had just been dissed. But why did he yearn her 'approval' so much? The blond snarled, "Dammit, Yamanaka." Since when did somebody put him in _doubt_? It was the art of an instant - when did _that _notion turn dubiously... _something_?

Where was he heading to anyways? That damn Sasori had insisted on Ino following him to make things _work well, _though he knew that Sasori was reluctant. But it was happening; Ino was, for once, travelling with somebody else aside from _him_. It _should've _been Deidara though. It was _his _position. Who said somebody else could just snatch her as their own weight? _Not that it's a bad thing... _The blond mentally urged.

What if Ino and Sasori actually got along? What if she developed feelings for... _Sasori_? Deidara felt his skin cool in flames - it went pale. _That's a good thing... Knowing her, she's probably those typical girls who likes every guy she meets_. _Why should I care_? Well, he never found an answer, but still... he couldn't take his mind off of it. "Sasori wouldn't like her, un." It was almost as if he had tried to persuade himself. It was a fact though - Ino was traveling with Sasori -which _should've _been Deidara- and they were alone... _together_.

The arsonist felt his sanity spike in anger... _jealousy_. Though he'd never come to actually face that fact.

He swallowed in frustration. "What the hell's happening to me...?" Deidara was stunned - why was he like this? Why was he caring about... _stuff like that_ when on a usual day, the only thing on his mind would be glorious art? His head ducked, degraded almost, though he would never admit it himself. "Tobi?" He noticed suddenly; the orange dot in the trees was a little too prominent.

Hastily, the bird ascended. As soon as Deidara's foot had touched the ground with a light thud, Tobi's head snapped up. "What the hell are you doing here, un?" Deidara probed. Tobi was a good way to take away his anger, right? If not make him _angrier_.

But Tobi said nothing, actually. Unusual. He merely stood there, frozen. It almost _creeped _Deidara out, though this should've been taken as a positive thing.

"S-Senpai..." Tobi suddenly croaked in his high voice. "Ino-chan's missing."

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**R&R please. I'm sure Brighty would love that. I also hope you're satisfied with what she's written, but try not to be too harsh. Last I saw her, she was a mess. D:  
Let's hope she's better soon and returns soon as well! Thanks guys!  
**


	24. Anxiety

**Chapter 24: Anxiety **

_Warnings; N/A_

_A/N_: _Oh my goodness, it's been forever! I can't believe it!  
First off, I'd like to thank you guys very much for being patient. Second, I want to thank you for your support; I've had some trouble and had some business to handle, but I was able to pull through with the help of my friends & family. Being sent those inboxes and encouraging messages was so flattering & helpful, thank you so much! heartheart  
So now I'm up & running! Will be updating, posting, writing - all of that stuff. ;3  
Third; No more long waits! I SWEAR. D:_

_Once more, thanks again guys! By the way, new A/N layout cause the other one was so sloppy, hehe. Enjoy the chapter~  
_

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Deidara stared, scouring for answers but couldn't find a face to do so, thanks to the orange mask that shielded it. "...What, un?" His patronizing glare narrowed. _Goddammit, Tobi..._ "What the hell did you just say, un?" His voice erupted, his words barking. _Retard... Doesn't know what the hell he's saying!_

"Ahh... S-Senpai..." The direction Tobi's words hung were almost sympathetic.

Deidara's sharp eyes expanded, as he soaked the reality of Tobi's words. _No way...! _Instinctively, his hands lunged forward and clutched a fistful of Tobi's collar, jerking him closer. "Wha... you...!" The blond-headed man's throat had gone dryly raspy, as his strained skin began to adopt an icy, clammy texture of sweat. "'The fuck are you saying, un!" Missing? _Ino_? No. No no no. He wouldn't accept it. _It wasn't true_. "_Where is she_?" Tobi's a dumbass, he wouldn't know. He didn't even know what he was saying. She wasn't _missing_.

Tobi shuffled his feet nervously. "That's the thing... I-I dunno. She's missing, Senpai! That's not a clever questi-" He yelped as the arsonist maliciously shoved him into a tree.

Deidara was stiff, rigid with frost. He wouldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. He _would not_ believe it. She was still somewhere around. She wasn't missing. He constantly inwardly urged himself that she was still present, but his metallic orbs seethed with doubt. _She's... not here... _

"Tobi, un! Tell me what happened!" His teeth were clenched, gritting perilously as his dark gaze frostily flickered to the masked figure. "_Tobi...!_"

"Ah! I don't remember very well... but, ahh, a man... h-he grabbed Ino-ch-"

"_What_?" He barked. "_Who_?"

"I already said I-I don't know Senpa-_oooow!_"

"God damn Tobi, you're _worthless_, un!" He bellowed, fists clenching. The strain on his muscles and skin was tight, stretching over the limits from the pressure, but he felt nothing from the physical tension. Deidara drew a breath, swallowing and smoothing the knot in his mind. "We need to find her." He stated.

Tobi peeked at him sheepishly. "But... what if we can't?" He was almost trying to... _convince _Deidara.

The stiff fear completely overtook him; it was half before, but full now. Haunting thoughts, _anxiety_, lingered across his mind whilst all he could do was stand there. He felt empty, yet at the same time, flooded with worry and anguish. The ghost of heartache erupted throughout his body, leaving him light and heavy. He almost went dizzy. Tired.

And he felt almost remorseful. _Is it my fault_?

"Maybe we shouldn't waste our time... What will Sasori-sama think?" The masked enigma continued.

"Shut up, Tobi, un. We're going to find her." The words were clamoring, but all that came out was a raspy croak, clearing out the -self- assurance that he had intended to be visible. "Where did it happen...?"

He hesitated. "Uhh, j-just that path over there." Tobi raised a shaky finger, jabbing it in the direction they had just walked.

"...What did he look like?"

Tobi scratched his head frustratingly. "I-I _don't know_! He had dark hair...?"

_That's all, dumbass? That's_ all_ you can say? _"...Why the hell didn't _you _do anything? _Why did you let him get away?" _

_"_I couldn't do anything...!"

The blond's lips tugged into a snarl, but he partially repressed it as he glowered. "_Search now_, _un!_" He brushed a quick, sweeping gaze around him. "Maybe we should split up..." The remorse and guilt was pricking at him. _If I hadn't been such a ba- _His thoughts fumbled. _If we were on better terms, would this have happened? I shouldn't have... snapped at her like that. Maybe she wouldn't have gone along to... _Sasori._ And she wouldn't have been with Tobi. And they wouldn't have been _here_. __  
_

"Yeah! We might find her better that way!"

_No shit_. "Alright, you stay here and search; I'll scour around, un." Deidara began to amble away. "And if you find her, _keep her safe._ Also tell me immediately if you do, un!"

"Yessirrrrr!"

"I'm serious, Tobi, un," The solemn, steadying tone that overtook his voice was enough to portray that. He _was _serious, for real. "try your best to... _find her_." He rasped, voice unusually cracking at the end. Perhaps doubtful... _No, we'll find her...! _Deidara's thoughts blared, but now he _knew _that he was in denial, simply trying to deceive himself for his own reassurance.

"_Wait_- but, but... what if we _don't _find her, Senpai?"

Deidara whirled around on his heel, a perilous, deadly glare darting into Tobi's direction. "Shut _up_, un! You don't know what you're saying," he shook his head. "Just... get searching."

Tobi's shoulders slumped, but Deidara was already gone.

* * *

He traced the forests, his feet skimming past the earthy blades of grass whilst his metallic blue eyes swept from one corner to the other. Deidara would curse when he veered around clumps of trees to be greeted by the presence of nothing. His doubt, his confidence were beginning to descend; he'd tried to keep his hopes and optimism up, but it was beginning to die. "_What the hell..._" He mumbled, skirting past the trees.

How was Tobi doing? Had he found her? Was he currently searching for Deidara? He halted in his movements, vacillating and hesitant. _Maybe I should turn back... Just to check on him_. _Maybe he has her and I'm wasting my time... _But the compulsion to continue on was powerful - what if she _was _nearby? Would he miss his chance? Cussing under his breath, the blond Akatsuki launched ahead the anxiety and worry bubbling inside.

_Who _snatched her anyway? His thoughts continued to stream on. _Was it those Konoha bastards? Did they want to take her back_? Deidara's chest tightened; a small while ago, he had reprimanded her for her desire to be back in Konoha. What if they _did _take her back? And, was she... satisfied with that?_ She probably loves it with them. _His fists balled.

He was being paranoid. He knew. But the knowledge didn't seem to deteriorate the paranoia and anxiety.

_I need to stop worrying. _"I'll find her, un." He tried, his attempts to console himself loosening._ I'm going crazy.. talking to myself lately...? _His head shook, eyes fixing into the inclination of his body as he continued to skim throughout the forest. _Nothing. Perhaps... _Deidara stopped. _I should return to Tobi after all..._ He was so impulsive; it was annoying, even to himself. But he would never bring himself to admit it.

Dawdling with his steps, he whirled around, dashing into the direction he came from.

* * *

Deidara's footsteps gently thudded against the earthy ground, the grass tickling against his covered ankles. "Tobi, you here, un?" He called, but sighed in reluctance as no response was mirrored back. He weakly kicked a pebble out of his way, eyes scanning the area when he felt a chakra presence linger against the empty atmosphere. His heart seemed to have froze; Konoha shinobi, possibly? Or... _Ino_? The presence was faint and ambiguous - he was no sensor-nin, so it wasn't his forte to identify chakra.

"Ino...?" His voice wavered.

His feet lead him to the edge of a tree, where he saw a figure. Deidara crept slightly closer... Only to have his hope bust when he realized it was just Tobi. "Tobi," He began.

"S-Senpai?" He twirled on his heel. "What are you doing...? I thought you were going to look around!" Tobi was oddly rigid.

"Yeah...? Well I decided to check on you, un. Knowing you, you probably screwed up while I was gone." He peered over Tobi's shoulder. "Are you hiding something...?"

"Err, well..." He froze, before shuffling his feet and emitting a shaky laugh. "No, no, no, I'm not _hiding _something... Just, well, _I found something_."

Deidara cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah? What?" He probed, stalking closer to see what this _something _was.

"Uhm, well... I don't know if you'll be happy with it! Th-that's why I didn't show you, but..." He dithered, before stepping out of the way.

It took a moment for Deidara to register what he was perceiving. A thick, copious and large puddle laid on the ground. A puddle of viscous, murky blood. Small dark vermilion droplets beaded close to it. His heart froze, frostily shuddering. "W-what the hell, un?" Impulsively, his instinct was to find where the blood trailed off to, but the blood droplets next to the puddle were little in amount, and descended, vanishing and leaving no implication of which direction it went off to or came from. He could imagine her screaming and screeching as her abductor carried her, the blood trickling down her body and landing in small drips and even so much to make a puddle... "_Why would you think this is her blood, un_?" But he wasn't fooling himself.

"_S-Senpai_!" Tobi exclaimed, as if flabbergasted. "I-I mean... With what's going on... With where we are, don't _you _think this is hers?"

His icy blood began to boil as he captured the words. "_Shut up_." He just needed time to think.

"But... Senpai," Tobi called lightly, shakily.

Deidara growled, but Tobi continued.

He whispered, "What if... she's dead?"

His body stopped, a blanket of stone dawning against him as all he could do was register the words. _Dead_? Her abduction. Her blood. Her disappearance. It was reasonable to think she was dead. The air he needed to breathe seemed to swirl against and suffocate him as he gasped for it. He couldn't feel himself, except how heavy his chest and dead his chest felt. _Dead_... A stab of fear shot down his spine as the color bled out of his skin. His body felt weighty, blank and dry. And his stone heart couldn't help but throb and freeze at the thought.

"..._Hello...?_" Tobi echoed.

A vivid image of the same scene -abductor carrying her- reeled in his head, but instead, she was limp and empty; unconscious, her blood dripping wildly and streaming across her skin. Dead. Deidara cleared his throat, "She's not... d-dead, un." He croaked.

"You don't sound okay, Senpai... And you don't look great either!" He pointed out. "Maybe... since she's not alive, we should stop. We don't need to waste our time like this!"

"_Shut up!_" His lips exploded; he'd said this plenty of times. "She's _not _dead, alright?" He snarled. "And even... if she _were_, which she's not, I wouldn't _leave _her like that, un! I will... _would_ find the bastard and fuckin' blow him up till all you can see is his blood and bits!"

"Are you... sure? We really _should _get going though!"

Deidara darted a piercing glare at him. "I thought you were fond of her, Tobi, un."

"I am! But..." He paused. "_You _are fond of her, Senpai..."

The blond's lips twitched unwittingly, before he muttered with sigh, "Whatever."

"_But..._"

"Keep looking, un." His head shook, mustering his effort into sealing the horrific thoughts. "Er, I'll search around here, you go over in that direction." Deidara's thumb jerked into the opposite direction.

"Uhm, but, what if..." He fumbled with his hands. "Konoha-nin. Th-they're here..." The blond cocked a bewildered eyebrow. "Sasori-sama said so! And I heard them too! They were... somewhere around here... But I'm not sure."

_If they're here... That would mean they took Ino, didn't they? Or... what if they didn't? _"Hn," _If they killed her for her missing-nin status, they wouldn't have hidden her body. _"What about them, un?" _But they... harmed her. Took her. Whatever; Once I run into them, I'll strangle them to death. They'll detonate into guts! _His face scrawled furiously.

"What if they attack me? I have to stick with you!"

His lips pursed, "I don't want you around me," He began. "and I'll kill them if they're near us. They'll pay."

Tobi tilted his head to the side in confusion, "Pay for what?"

Deidara shook his head in frustration; there was no time for this. "Nothing," He murmured. "Hurry up and _search_, un!" A bark emitted from his lips as he churned on his heel furiously, vigorously creeping across the crunching grass. Vaguely, Tobi's footsteps began to thud away hesitantly, but the rush of delicate ease assured him well. He noticed his teeth jabbing into his bottom lip anxiously, the pressure leaving a pink scar. _Calm down... _

_

* * *

_He slipped around the trees, the exhaustion slowing his movements as the light pants discharged from his mouth. There was no word from Tobi yet - he didn't know where the asshole disappeared off to, for he had more significant things streaming across his head. Speaking of which, he was probably staggering across the earth, lost and confused with his location. Sasori was most likely searching for them, rage flooding the puppet's head.

But their feelings wouldn't compare to how strong his were.

He was furious and incensed. He was guilty. He was anxious - maybe even... _scared_. If she was never found, if she was... _dead_, he wouldn't be able to bear the knots of turmoil; he'd have to endure the fact that he _could've _protected her well, and he _could've _treated her better before her... disappearance. But he didn't. And that statement alone was enough to corrupt him. But what made things worse was that she wouldn't be there anymore.

The thought rendered him silent, his lips pressing into a thin line as he sprinted past the trees, thoughts and feelings entangled. There was a certain thought that prickled him most, however.

During the dawn of silence, he tried to barrier the particular thought, but the resistance began to bleed from him. Slowly, his mind absorbed the emotion erupting through his mentality. The feeling had been there for a while. It was more than obvious. He should've known. He should've understood. He should've emitted it when he had the chance.

Deidara's teeth dug into his lip once more; He... loved her too. He harbored the feelings she had, mirroring them. But it was his denial, shock and vanity that kept them away. A flicker of the rainy day she had confessed pierced through his head. He had _hurt _her that day... And he took offence to her perky attitude the day after. _I should've told her when she told me._

And if she was gone... the guilt would've submerged him. The last thing they would've done together was him yelling at her. Him brutalizing her with words.

But, once more, the worse of it all was she would be _gone_.

That pain would be unbearable.

The blond cringed, the melancholy already smoldering him. His eyes dropped, before rising and locking onto his surroundings, scrutinizing details and such. But it did no good - all he saw were trees, frizzy bushes and crisp grass. Repressing a sigh, he silently continued to explore the area.

* * *

The sun began to fall, a splotchy hyacinthine mirage immersing the sky; a gradient of violet and indigo, the colors bright, yet shady. He had been scouring for hours, wearily peering around as his heart accelerated from the work. Deidara careened relentlessly, his steps swaying with fatigue. He wanted to topple over and rest, escaping from the trouble but he knew it wouldn't be allowed.

Deidara's eyes lowered, fixing onto the ground and watching his step. But then, his sight captured something. _More blood? _The display frosted his spine, but burned his insides. _That's her blood, isn't it... She's close by! _Instinctively, his legs shot to the crimson plash, leaning over to observe the details.

A whimper faintly echoed. His head snapped up, churning to be faced by the side of a dim cave. "Ino, un?" Deidara called, heart drumming vigorously.

He hesitated, but strode to the opening. Drawing a breath, the blond's feet carried him into the darkness. All light descended as he stepped over the stony ground, one by one. Another whimper echoed, this time closer. He followed the sound, continuing his stride, eyes sweeping only the darkness and vague rocky plains of the cave. His heart pumped faster with each step, stomach twisting with anticipation and bracing for what he could see.

And he stopped. Now in sight was a faint silhouette, hunched and limp. It breathed foggily, weakened. Falteringly, he stepped forward, the full image greeting his eyes.

Ino.

He ignored as she glanced up, ignored her gasps, ignored her face - all he did was stride to her. And then pull her into his arms.

* * *

_A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed that. Gwah, once again, I have so much to thank everyone for!  
_

_Reviews? xoxo.  
_


	25. Retreat

**Chapter 25: Retreat **

_Warnings; N/A_

_A/N_: _I had planned to finish this by and post on Christmas, but being the procrastinator  
I am, it never happened, haaaa. I know I'm still pretty slow when it comes to updating  
but I'm trying! Anyways, a belated **Happy Holidays **_everyone!  
_& it's almost a New Year! Did you guys like 2010? Looking forward_  
_to 2011?_

_Enjoy the chapter!  
_

* * *

Ino's face met the Akatsuki's chest as he pulled her to him, nestling herself into the depths of his cloak. "D-Deidara..." She managed to murmur, her lips wavering with what felt like shame and lust. She wanted him _so _badly... The comfort and safety of his arms wrapped and rested against her as she breathed small pants. The tears flooded the corners of her eyes as she buried her face into his cloak, hands clutching with need.

"Are you hurt, un?"

She hesitated, taking the time to steal a whiff of his smoky clay scent. "No," she lied. "just t-tired..." The kunoichi couldn't shake off her fear. She _had _to get out. She had to get to safety. She was indeed hurt; the back of her head throbbed painfully, creating flickers of deluding flashes. Her hips ached badly, from being thrown down so many times.

"What happened?" He whispered, voice reaching a hissing note. "_Who_?"

Against his body, her lips pursed. "I..." She croaked. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Konoha, right, un?" He muttered. "God damn bastards...! I'll kill th-"

"_No!_" She protested. "...wasn't them."

Deidara's eyes widened, the gloss creating a dark sheen. "...You weren't... um," his voice was strained and began to crack. "like... raped, were you, un?"

"_No_, of course not..."

"Then...?"

She shook her head. "Just... give me a moment," Ino murmured, closing her eyes as she absorbed the event.

He turned away from the figure cradled in his arms. The compulsion was raiding him. He had to say... _something _about how he... felt. "Sorry," he grumbled.

"...For?"

She could feel him shift with discomfort beneath her. "...being rude, un." He hesitated. "I should've treated you better after you came open with... your feelings, un."

The shock swam across her body. "_O-oh._ That..." Ino bit her lower lip, teeth digging into the flesh nervously. "...I'll get over it. Don't worry."

Rocks shuffled across the ground but he ignored it. That wasn't the response he wanted to hear; he didn't want the situation to be closed in such a way. "That's not the thing... I... Ino. There're things I should sa-"

"Deidara..." She whispered, a fear swamping her voice. "I-it's Tobi..."

His jaw tightened - _this _was how she was going interrupt him? "What about him?"

"Tobi's the one... wh-who... brought me here."

"You mean... the walk, un?"

"No... He's the one who hid me here."

He could've snorted and rolled his eyes, but the trembling quake in her throat made him skeptical. "Are you... _sure_?"

She nodded before her eyes scanned the floor warily. "Do you... hear that? The rocks?"

"Mm, yeah."

"Is it... hi-"

"Senpai!" A voice blared through the walls of the cave which made the pair flinch. A tall, bouncy silhouette launched into sight as Ino shrieked fearfully at the sight of him. "Hehehe, so you... found her, huh?" He chortled giddily. "Welp, we should get going then! Let's goooooo! Konoha shinobi are around as Sasori-sama said! The three of us should leave quickly!"

Deidara cocked an eyebrow as he glanced at Ino questioningly.

"N-n-no! H-he...!" Her jaw jerked back as her eyes flared with horror. "He _knocked me out_! He's n-not... not _nice_! Not goofy!" She sputtered, Ino's words near intelligible.

"What are you saying, Ino?" The blond Akatsuki hissed.

He lips trembled as she forced the words. "H-he wants to kill me... or hurt me, or something!"

"Ino-chan?" Tobi cocked his head to the side. "What are you _talking about_?"

Deidara evaluated their responses; who was right? Was Ino? Tobi? Tobi being, well, _him couldn't _have done it to Ino. He was _worthless_, silly and childish. And Ino... was she deceiving him? Was she making this up? He swallowed, throat parched. Repeating the deception and outcomes of it wasn't something he wanted to happen. The blond stole a glimpse of the girl embraced against him. She looked... grave. Truthful.

"Tobi..." He steadied pensively. "What'd you do to her?"

"_Nothing _Senpai! She's lying!"

"_Whaat_?" Ino screeched. "Y-y-you..."

Her head whipped back to lock her eyes on Deidara's. "D-don't let him hurt me..." She mustered, the tears spilling from her eyes and rolling onto her cheeks.

"Ino...?"

"Don't..." She whispered, pressing her face against his shoulder, hiding her face as the crystal tears streamed. _I've had enough of this... What's happened to my life?  
_

A voice that wasn't Deidara's or Tobi's cut past. "I-Ino?"

All three of their faces darted to meet the bearer of the voice. Ino gasped, recoiling her hands from Deidara and clasping them over her mouth. "Sh-Shikamaru... Choji...?" Against her, she could hear the echo of Deidara's low, throaty snarl and the cuss under his breath.

_"_Y-you're alive!" Choji uttered, the disbelief tying across his features. "You're _okay_!" He breathed, a smile of relief breaking across his lips.

She didn't know what to do. Her heart seemed to stop, the air no longer existing. The kunoichi merely trembled, leaning back against him as she drew a wispy breath. The sound of Deidara's breath flaring with rage mingled against her ear, but she did nothing. _Oh my God... _

"Calm yourself Choji," Shikamaru cleared his throat. Within the darkness, she saw four silhouettes - Shikamaru, Choji, Izumo and Kotetsu. "...Why are you with him?"

"What?" But as the word was released, she realized what he meant. _Oh_. Deidara.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "Ino, the Akatsuki... You're not..." he hesitated. "you're not aligning yourself with the _Akatsuki_, _are you_?"

Before she had time to think and respond, Deidara's voice blasted through the cave. "_Shut up, un! _Get your shitty faces out of here now!"

"Deidara..." She whispered, her hand reaching out for his.

"Ino!" The Nara's demanding voice halted her movements with a jolt. "Please... don't. Answer the question."

Another voice intruded. "S-Senpai! I _told you _they'd come!"

She felt her eyelids flutter wearily, her head dizzy as the anxiety, heat and tightness knotted around. Beads of sweat trickled down her temples as her thick, foggy breaths lingered past the air. The tears began to flood the corners of her eyes, but yet, they felt frozen and stiff. Her stomach churned painfully, mustering a twisting, strong and ill queasiness, the nausea drowning her senses. _Tobi tried to- My teammates- Deidara is- _

_"_Answer!"

_they're here- Tobi he's dangerous- Choji Shikamaru- Deidara's behind me- angry- _

Her body wavered. An ill, queasy sensation rushed into her stomach; she felt like she was going to puke.

A voice whispered into her ear. "_Ino_... " There was almost a hopeful touch to Deidara's words. Little did she know that Deidara was suffering with turmoil, driving his tensity to the limits as he repressed his impulses with every passing second. He didn't want her to say she wasn't. That'd be worse than betrayal. If her wants were so strong that she'd lie out of shame of associating with him, it'd..._ hurt._ More importantly, if she _did _deceive them, he... didn't want her to leave him. And he would've had commanded her to keep quiet, but he felt... _hopeless_?

Ino twisted her neck to level her eyes with his. _He looks like he's... pleading_. And that was wrong. Deidara was always firm and durable. Seeing him so dependent wasn't right.

"Help," she wheezed.

He blinked before clearing his throat and turning back to the Konoha-nin. "I told you bastards to leave, un!"

"...Shikamaru," Kotetsu leaned into the Nara and murmured. "She's obviously affiliating herself with them..."

"Yeah, I know."

Ino drew a shaky breath.

"Tobi, come here." She heard Deidara call from behind her. The words rendered her rigid. _Don't... don't come here... _What the hell was he thinking? Didn't he understand what she had just told him? His tall figure began to stride over, but he flinched as an air slicing sound whipped across the air. Tobi yelped and leapt away from the kunai Choji had maneuvered.

"Get away from here, un." The blond murmured cautiously into her ear.

The gut wrenching feeling raided her abdomen. The thought of separating on her own -even for her safety- made her wince.

"What are we... gonna do with her then?" The Akimichi probed dubiously, the will bleeding from his words. She braced herself for the response, her heart stopping.

Shikamaru hesitated. "Just... follow my lead."

She ignored Deidara's insisting pats and gentle shoves, shifting her weight against him until he growled in frustration. A cloak of silence dawned on the cave, each eye wary and cannily analyzing. The sensation of his breath behind her made her flinch, and suddenly, he uttered on word.

"Katsu!"

A rupturing detonation blasted behind her old comrades, their yelps and grunts reverberating throughout the den as their bodies flew forward. All Ino could was gawk, but suddenly her body jerked with his arm. He leapt pass the shinobi, holding Ino against him, the walls of the cave travelling past them.

"Tobi, hurry up!" Deidara called as he sprinted out the cave.

To Ino, the area was a blur but her eyes pushed past the fuzziness to see an enlarged sculpted clay bird -or two at that- in front of her. The blond cradling her hopped on and before she could register the retreat, they had already began to rise. In the distance, her eyes could register Tobi launching onto the secondary bird as well and she could already feel her insides clench as her body huddled over with her hands clutching his cloak.

"Nobody's near us now," The blond criminal murmured after a long moment had elapsed. "Tell me what happened, un."

"I-I..." Her throat cleared with a hoarse rumble. "Wait, why are you letting him come with us?"

He sighed. "I won't let him hurt you, Ino. Whatever the case, he's still an Akatsuki member. un. If I leave him behind, especially with how naive he is, I'll be the one held responsible." He churned his neck to lock eyes with hers. "Now explain, un."

"He said we were going on a walk, and... well, he sorta _dragged _me over to the path," Instantly, her head snapped with paranoia back to see if Tobi was listening, but he seemed more occupied with scrutinizing the floor meters beneath. "And then I heard a different voice... and turned around and it was _him_. _Tobi_." She whispered, eyes shifting to glimpse at him once more. "A different voice - a manly, low one... I know this sounds _stupid _but I'm seriou-"

"Hey hey hey Senpai! Did you see that huge bird?" The giddy, fervent voice from behind them cried out.

Deidara sucked in a wading breath. "Are you _sure_? It could've been a genjutsu or..."

"I'm _sure_!"

"Tobi doesn't have any reason to hurt you, un."

"But he _did! _He brought me to that cave in a rush and knocked me down so many times when I fought back!" Her adamant clamoring made it hard for him to doubt. Her voice suddenly dropped to a low, quiet note. "...Or at least tried to... He's a lot stronger than he looks - He _does _have a purpose in the... Akatsuki. I just don't know what."

The blond male's lips pressed into a tight line as a moment of silence caped them before he parted his mouth to speak. "I'll talk to Leader about this, un. We'll sort things ou-"

"_No - don't!_" The kunoichi asserted with large glossy eyes.

"What the hell do you mean _no_, un?" He hissed against. "Don't you want help?"

She hesitated before feigning a weak response, "Which side do _you _think your leader? An actual _member _or a subordinate?" _I still don't understand _why _they're accepting me..._

Deidara snorted with displeasure. "Tobi's _worthless_... I doubt the leader would take his side on things."

"I _just _told you about what he did to me." She pressed with a grimace. "I mean, he's in the Akatsuki for _something._"

"Stop fussing, un. Even if he doesn't take our side," Her skin jolted at the sound of _our_. "that's not going to do any harm."

"_Don't_..." She whimpered, voice viscous with plead.

He sighed, the frustration swamping against his breath. "Why are you so against this, un?" He snapped the words as she recoiled herself away.

"I just..." Ino hesitated, her eyes crooning. "If you did, he would take Tobi's side of things. And... if this problem was disturbing him, it's obvious who would be on the lower-hand. He'll realize _who _started this problem - me. And then... well, you know." She shook her head. _So she's afraid of death again... _But his mental assumption was declared wrong from the following words that wove from her lips. "I don't want him to kill me... That would separate me from you." The syllables spilled from her lips and she felt herself burn. _I can't believe I just told him that. _Pursing her lips, her thick breathing morphed into something more needy and... _breathless _as she dropped her gaze_._

He was stricken with a sudden shock of panic - what would he say to _that_? It melted him, _a lot_. But he didn't want to deflate her, like last time. The regret made him wince. He _wanted _to tell her about how he felt, but it seemed _stupid_. She would think so too, wouldn't she? It'd exasperate her, or weary her out. But he _wanted _to.

His instinct was to glance at Tobi, who was now asleep and flying meters away from them before his eyes flickered back to hers. "Ino, am I... really that significant to you, un?"

"...What do you mean?"

"What you just said, un... Am I truly so important that you'd be more afraid of the aspect of being detached from me than you are of dying?"

"...Yeah." She admitted bleakly, turning her head away. _I got over dying when he constantly threatened me a while back. _

A malicious silence strung past the air once again. _Tell her now_. The inward voice urged, though he couldn't scour the courage to utter the words, much less open his mouth. Meaninglessly clearing his throat, the breeze from gliding rolled against his cheeks, sweeping his bangs out of his scope-concealed eye and bringing a chill with it.

"D-do you hear that?" Ino conveyed abruptly, causing him to flinch as he turned to glance at her.

"Hear _what_, un?"

The heat was drowning her cheeks, probably. "Th-the leaves crackling...?" And then she recognized how _stupid_ she sounded.

But Deidara was there to even confirm it too, much to her dismay. "We're up high from the ground, what do you mean there's leaves crackling?" As he said these words, she huddled smaller and flushed. "I think you're being paranoid, un." And he was right. Even she herself knew that. But it was also an excuse to break the silence.

"Yeah, you're right," She nodded and he turned back.

By this time, the spherical moon was illuminating in streams of pure, white light. The contrast of the moon and the sky seemed to blend in what seemed to be a _magical _portrait, or what you would see in books.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, suddenly. She couldn't help but feel her insides perk at his sudden question.

But no, she wasn't. "Not really."

"Tired, un?"

"Sorta." She admitted with a subtle nod - though she knew he wouldn't see it.

"We should rest then," He delivered. "I don't think they'll catch up to us anytime soon; we should take this time to regenerate ourselves."

"Mm, right... Are we staying out here, or in a building...?"

Deidara spoke fluidly, "Hotel, un. It's a little safer in there."

"Oh, okay." She nodded blankly. "...I wonder where Sasori is."

Her comment made his mind spike... _Not in a good way. _"Sasori?" He snorted a laugh, "Probably out somewhere playing with the wooden toys that he calls 'art', un."

"Do you think he's mad? That we suddenly disappeared?"

The Akatsuki member bound his golden eyebrows together. "Why would you care if he was mad, un?" He gritted the brittle words, turning his head with expectancy.

"No reason, really. Just a wonder."

"Did he warm up to you or something, un? So you care about him now..." He murmured gravely, the pensive touch present.

She shook her head, "Err, _no_. The opposite, actually." _Is he _jealous_? _Her stomach fluttered with rapacious, cynical hope. _Was he always this paranoid about Sasori and I - about how I'm his subordinate? Or... maybe I'm just being a dreamer. _

"Heh." He chortled humorlessly, suppressing a smirk. _Good_. The thought that she was _his _property, which was established before the Ino-goes-missing mess, and not Sasori's made his content burn pleasurably.

Ino herself hid a smile. Maybe he didn't _love _her the way she did him, but she meant _something _to him, right? The thought was bubbly, but it was also quite upsetting, if she looked at it in a way.

* * *

Once they had arrived at a decent looking hotel, the fear swarmed back when Tobi woke up. Afraid of what Tobi would do, _why _he wanted to... But Deidara remained all but anxious. He had shadily bought two rooms, one for Tobi and one for himself and Ino - thank goodness. What made things better was that Tobi's room was located on a different floor, and she could feel that he intentionally had done that.

They had ascended to their room -two single beds-, Ino washing up in a steamy shower while Deidara did whatever he usually did. This time, she cautiously reminded herself to bring her clothes with her into the bathroom. After completing her cycle of grooming, they had swapped positions - Ino dawdling whilst he cleaned up himself.

But she didn't exactly have a hobby... Flowers were an interest, but she wasn't supplied with them. And it was fun flirting, but with Deidara... it seemed too wrong all of a sudden. Like she should've done more. The kunoichi shook off the pensive thoughts before glancing around the room, scouting for inspiration.

"Hey, we have a balcony?" She asked inquisitively, only for a dead silence to unwind after. Ino turned. _Oh yeah, he's in the shower. _

Setting onto foot, she ambled closer to the door stuck against the far wall and peered through the glass as her hand twisted the doorknob and pushed forward_. _She stepped onto the balcony to be met by a rush of frosty wind and clutched her sides, the thin pajamas wrinkling beneath her fingers. The night was still innocent and she leaned against the ivory railing. It was what you would see in a fairytale, but it certainly didn't feel like one; she was currently escaping from her former teammates -who probably loathed her now- whilst juggling the humiliation of being a cowardly fool in front of the man she was attracted to.

"Ino?"

She yelped at the voice and leaped back to register Deidara's puzzled face. "Oh my God, don't do that next time!"

He paused before snickering. "Whatever, un."

"You're done your shower," She commented, peering at his damp hair which was _not _tied and wholly done. "Nice." A blunt word.

"What're you doing out here?" He inquired, glimpsing at the contours of her cheeks. "It's cold and you're turning pale, un."

"O-oh! Yeah, heh, I guess I'll go in now..." She began to shuffle past him meekly, nearing the open door before she felt a hand clasp around her wrist in an instant.

Her neck twisted to lock her eyes onto his figure. "Ino, I want to tell you something, un."

The Yamanaka arched an eyebrow at his eerie phrase. "Tell me what...?"

_Tell her how you feel. __Say it now_. He inwardly urged. And took a deep breath before parting his lips.

* * *

_A/N: Nope, Ino was real.  
& sorry for making Deidara a little cheesy, haha.  
Thanks again for reading! _

_Reviews are great Christmas presents !  
_


	26. No Such Thing as Equity

**Chapter 26: No Such Thing as Equity  
**

_Warnings: N/A_

_A/N_: _Alright, so once again, I'm sorry for the lengthy wait but I have a legitimate -not really-  
reason this time. The first excuse would be that I'm traveling & visiting relatives right now.  
Second reason is that I'm going to be making the chapters longer from here on  
for various reasons. Hope you don't mind this, really. I'll still be putting my  
effort into making them come asap, but just as a heads up, it might take longer as  
I wanna keep quality as well. Thanks forthe support guys, xoxo! _

_So yeah, longer chapter! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

"Ino, I..." His lips pressed together into a thin line; he just _couldn't _say it. There was so much shame and remorse in the words, if not for the way she stared at him expectantly, he would've blew something up. But Ino _was _there, gazing at him with wide eyes that held anticipating confusion.

She cocked a cornsilk eyebrow and pursed her lips, "You...?" The word drawled out, left hanging as she waited for him to finish. Whatever it was, it seemed... _significant, _even almost in a shockingly terrifying way. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to hear it or not, but of course, her curiosity wouldn't die.

Deidara's weight shifted on the heels of his feet uneasily. "...Nevermind." He grumbled, tearing his metallic orbs from her, releasing her wrist as he began to take fidgety steps away.

"W-wait...!" She shrieked abruptly, taking hold of his arm. He twirled on his heel and the fizzling chagrin spouted from his reluctance. "Just spit it out, Deidara." Ino added weakly.

"Spit it out?" He repeated snarkily. "It's much more complex than just '_spitting it out_'." Ino could feel the frustration radiate from his voice, more so the sudden swerve of his mood from composed to sour. Never was a good thing about him, the way he felt wrathful. For whatever reason he had for being so entangled, she _really _wanted to know.

Her arm retracted from its clutch and enveloped across her chest. "C'mon, I'm sure it's not that hard."

The S-ranked criminal felt his lips twitch anxiously. "You're not aware of what the matter is, so I doubt that gives you a right to deem it easy, un." He responded bitterly with a grimace. A sigh liberated from his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut in frustration for the shortest second.

"You don't have to be so cruel about it." She shot back icily, eyebrows justifying as her face twisted into a scowl. "I mean, no need to get so worked up about it - it's not _that _big of a deal."

Her comment, so false and so oblivious, was merely a display of underrating his thoughts. _That's it, huh? _And it was crossing the line - for him, at least. The wave of anger that crashed against him was too strong for him to contain, and his fists clenched once his lips spurred into action. "Are you stupid?" He roared, the dander prominent in his voice. "It may have been easy for _you_ to say you loved me, but do you know how hard it is for me to confess my feelings for you too-?" And that was it. As the words tumbled out irrationally, he had realized what he had just done and it felt like the air was stolen from him. Mortification. A pang of regret. _Shit, shit, shit!_

There was no looking back as he ripped his gaze away, appalled. A feeling inside of him stirred, one eerie and ghostly _blank_. Like nothing that was something. A cold breeze curled against the blond male's skin - a breeze that _wasn't _the wind.

Ino merely gaped, large empty eyes seemingly staring into the distance. Had he not said what he said, she would've proceeded to argue about how her confession was _not _easy; that bastard! But that wasn't the situation - he _did _say what she had heard, and it rendered her frozen.

He was okay with that, if 'okay' was an appropriate term to use; the lack of reaction, the better. He turned away once more, a crossover of a sigh, a growl and a groan emitting from his lips as his eyebrows narrowed, tensed and raging. _God damn this whole thing. _The thought ruptured against his thrashing mind as he began to stride back into the hotel room.

"D-Deidara!" She cried, hand flying out in a blur and locking onto his, stopping his movement.

"What?" He snapped, and his eyes couldn't help but perceive the way she flinched and sunk back. "Just... leave it, un." Slowly pulling her hand from his, he was taken back by how quick her other hand shot out to chain him into place.

"Dei... y-you..." Ino was at loss for words, literally. The only thought exploding over and over. _I can't believe it. _"Do you mean that? About... about your feelings...?" The kunoichi didn't _care _at how childishly hopeful she had sounded. To hell with it.

He groaned, heavy and exhausted. "...Ino, just drop it..."

"No." It was a simple syllable, but one that spoke so many emotions and thoughts.

Deidara sighed, pressing his eyes shut once again before re-opening to hesitantly meet her azures. "_Yes_, Ino, I do." He groaned, his breath so hot she could feel it mingle past her skin. "I have feelings for you. I _am _in love with you. J-just..." Once more, a frustrated sigh was unshackled. His anxiousness was clearly scrawled on his face in front of her, and she didn't protest when he slipped his hand away from hers and retreated back into the room.

The Yamanaka tottered after, bleak footsteps padding against the ground. The door shut with a click and she glanced at the male to see him propped against the edge of his bed with his forehead resting in the palm of his hand. A current of an unfamiliar feeling fizzled through her body. Was he wanting a response from her? Or was he really _that _upset with himself? Whatever the reason, she sighed and took a valiant step forward, placing her hands where his one wrist supported his head.

"Deidara," She murmured softly, pulling his hand away from his face.

"_What_, un?" He snarled and she could've rolled her eyes; such typical Deidaraness.

In the same second he lifted his head up, she had moved to quickly for him to appraise the situation. Before he even registered what was going on, her soft lips were pressed against his own. They were hot, luscious and undeniably arousing, parting and molding against his. Her hand played with his silky hair, running past and twirling the soft strands as she leaned her weight onto his bold body. He was hesitant, pausing to resist and slowly sink back into the depths of the kiss, his heavy, hot breath lingered in her mouth. It wasn't a surprised that they had toppled over onto the bed and the Yamanaka felt the heat emit from his body beneath her.

As instant as it started, the male's lips stopped immediately and he turned his face away. "Ino," he muttered beneath his heavy breath, a thin layer of sweat matting his cheeks. "What're you trying to say?" The plump words came out blunt and indirect, his uneasiness lacing the syllables as her lips curled into an amorous smile. There was a striking sensation in his head, one he couldn't particularly identify, but he let it last as the anticipation swelled.

"I approve," She snorted with a roll of her eyes, a genuine smile following right after. "Really." Body hovering above his, her head dipped lower to float mere inches away from his. His eyes were slack with shapeless, unreachable depths that screamed nothing but yearning. Her thick, warm breath grazed his cheek, his resistance bleeding as his eyes shut in surrender before he pulled her forward for their lips to meet once more. Deidara's mouth was wanting, _needy_ and his lips exerted a force, deepening the kiss as his arms encircled around her waist. The gesture caused thrilling sparks to explode inside of her.

She could feel her hips drop onto his, no longer hovering as Ino straddled his figure with her hands placed onto his bold shoulders. His soft lips were demanding and rough, stealing the air from her mouth as he slipped his tongue inside, earning a low, throaty gasp from Ino. The sensation was giddily invigorating and she felt her hands snake under his shirt and onto his lightly toned abdomen. The caress of her hands tempted him as his lips worked onto hers, both breathless - which made their mouths even more intense. A shrill bolt of pleasure shot down Ino's spine as she felt him rub her thighs suggestively and she proceeded to -

_knock, knock_!

The pair stopped with a jolt, breaking the private oblivion of lust as their heads whipped to glance at the door. A nanosecond of staring elapsed before their necks craned to lock eyes on one another. The sound of their heavy gasps for air, the sight of his face crept by a -sexy- shade of ignited red from _activity_, curtained by downed, damp hair with his electric lazy eyes and the feeling of their bodies touching in such a way added to the sudden _knock_ to reality, was enough to render Ino's cheeks a burnt, slushy shade of scarlet.

_Knock, knock!_

The rapping was harder this time, perhaps even more impatient.

"Senpai!" The versatile voice called from behind the door! "_Senpai_!"

Deidara's lips pulled into a snarl as his eyes morphed into a glower at the door. "Dammit Tobi..." He muttered under his breath, the malice penetrating his words and slid Ino off. "had to be the wrong time..."

Ino on the other hand was completely stricken by the voice, an untouchable fear icing across her skin as she pulled away from the bed, shuddering and watched him stride to the door. Her embarrassment was swallowed by the trepidation and her skin froze as he swung the door open.

"_What_, Tobi, un?" Deidara growled, the panted snarl emitting from behind his teeth.

"Leader-sama says he can't get to your head! He told me to tell you he wants a meeting," He elaborated. "It's weird! I thought he could get into _anyone_'_s _head..."

The blond turned his head away and muttered vaguely."I was busy with something, un."

"Well, we should go to the meeting soon!" He ventured, before peering at the bomber. "Senpai, why are you... sweaty?" The comment was mortifying and embarrassing, a panicky prick taking its place as he swallowed unnervingly. "Were you exercising?"

Behind the sudden fear that began to dissolve, Deidara thought one thing; _what a _dumbass_. "Y_eah, sure."

"Aaaaaaah! I see! Well, get ready for the meeting okay?" The enigma began to wave his hand hastily and take steps down the hall.

"Whatever," The muttering was left at that as he shut the door and twirled on his heel. Ino merely gazed at him with her large, unreachable eyes while propped against the edge of her own bed. For a moment, an awkward silence dawned on them before she took a breath.

"So," she said, kicking herself off the bed. "a meeting, huh?"

"Yeah, I didn't realize he was trying to contact me, un." His shoulders rolled into a shrug as he turned away. "I guess I'll get to it now..."

Her cherubic head tilted to the side. "You'll be back soon?"

He released a laugh before turning to face her. "I won't be gone, un. It's only a jutsu that'll let me communicate with the others."

"...And Tobi?"

Deidara was silent for the shortest second. "He's in the meeting too, don't worry, un. If you need me though, just nudge me, alright?"

It took a moment as she dawdlingly thought it through. "Yeah, okay." There were so many unspoken words she had yearned to speak, but the time wasn't right - she knew that. Questions, confessions, they'd all have to be saved for later. Though she'd only be able to bottle them up until after, as her impulsive lips would _obviously _betray her.

Her eyes followed intently, watching him settle into a cross-legged pose as he positioned his hands into a seal. His eyes shut, eyebrows narrowing against them just the slightest bit in a pension she couldn't quite lay her finger on, but she was silent and gazed at him inquisitively. It was interesting - the aspect of _what _could be happening in his head at the moment. Voices? Dark eyes? Or... holograms? Were the holograms what they did?

She shook the thought off. She could feel her heart thunder beneath her chest, the giddy sensation of _knowing _how he actually _felt _dancing inside. Really, she wanted to talk about it - his love for her, as in why, how, when... And she sighed; one of boredom with a dillydallying touch to it as her eyes roved past him once more. Ino caught his mouth pull back in what seemed like an instinctive growl, eyebrows bounding tighter as the anger scrawled against his face. She waited.

* * *

"Tobi, _shut up_!" the mouth belonging to Deidara shot wrathfully.

"And, and Senpai said he was just exercising in his room-"

A cackle interjected the rest of the babble - one from Hidan. "You sure you weren't just fucking that girl, Deidara-_chan_?" He tittered obnoxiously, the amusement present against his holographic features. "Yeah, sweaty and tired with a girl in your room! Doesn't get any more frickin' obvious than that you ass!"

"Shut the nonsense an-"

"_And_, seriously, never thought it'd be _you, _of all the god damn people, to get involved like that!" The Jashinist snickered. "All you ever fucking love is your dumb art - never payed attention to any girl, and look at you now just banging that one chick!"

"_Quiet_!"

Each member froze quietly, balancing themselves as they glanced at Pein with acute eyes. A small silence followed after as the leader began to assay the crowd with his perilous eyes. "We've located the location of the Nine-tails." He spoke vigilantly. "Our main priority as of now would be to capture the Jinchuuriki, who is traveling within the Water country."

"Teh, what's the big problem here?" Kisame snorted a laugh.

"They're circumventing and evading any trace of any potential encounter amongst us, despite the ubiquity of each member." His voice lowered pensively. "That boy is being guarded by elite shinobi, so we settle with taking preliminary action."

Deidara cocked a perplexed eyebrow. "What's the point of that, un?"

"To stall and observe. There is, however, a method that will be used as an incentive to lure him near, whether he realizes it or not."

Hidan sighed. "And what the hell would that be...?"

Pein's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. "It won't be discussed during this period. The substance in this meeting is to keep on guard if you approach the nine-tails. There's no pressure in the matter, so do not exceed limits that would result in strain or death. Deteriorating his guard if you happen to run into him would be the best act."

"Perhaps the matter would be best suited for Kisame and I, Leader-sama." A velvet voice echoed in the den and all pairs of eyes turned to face Itachi. "Observations would be more accurate with water manipulation and we would have an advantage."

The leader's eyes seemed to consider it but Deidara protested. "Whatever, leave this to Sasori and I. Or Tobi, if it stoops to that, un."

"_Brat_," Sasori growled. "you ran off so I'm alone. How do you expect to work with such a distance?" His voice was acidic. "Had you not messed with Tobi and the Yamanaka, we could've taken the Jinchuuriki instead."

"What is the meaning of your separation?" Pein inquired and the blond felt himself swallow nervously.

"Matters I want to discuss after this whole thing, un."

"Probably something to do with his _girlfriend_," The Jashinist crooned before exploding into a cackle.

"Quiet, Hidan. Itachi, Kisame, I'll let you play with the Jinchuuriki then. Deidara, we'll talk now. Everyone is dismissed."

Deidara watched silently as each hologram slowly began to waver and scathingly vanish. Right before the puppeteer, however, disappeared, he caught the "Brat," and scowled before turning to the last remaining hologram. Suddenly, everything he had planned to say was gone and he was at loss for words. The _second time_ that day, dammit. "...Uh, there's been a problem lately..."

"Proceed..."

"Ino - the girl, that is... She was attacked, recently, un."

"The girl may have a factor as a subordinate, but if that's the case this is not relevant to us."

He shook his head. "No, by Tobi. I _know _she's just Sasori's subordinate, but..." _...but what? But I _love _her? What the hell am I supposed to say? _"she has potential from my perspective."

"Deidara, if that was the case, perhaps it would be something to discuss, however, it's _not_." Pein's words were hard. "Your feelings are beginning to develop more, I see, but to be intertwined with something that could be left as disregarded is not tolerable."

Deidara clenched his fists and contained a groan of frustration. "It... doesn't have anything to do with that, un."

He could imagine the crease in Pein's forehead deepening. "It does."

"Well," He shifted with discomfort. "I... uh,"

"I am warning you in advance not to get so attached to the Yamanaka. The plot I was referring to before may not draw your approval - your opinion won't change what I've established but it'd be best to leave her alone."

"...W-_what_? What does Ino have to do with that...?"

The leader's lips pressed into a thin line and he opened his lips.

* * *

Pein was gone. His eyes flew open to be welcomed by the colors of a room.

"_What the h-!_" He found his lips exploding. "Ino - Dammit!"

Ino recoiled the hands that had nudged him hastily, blinking with surprise as she watched the anger scrawl on his face. "I, um, y-you said for me to..."

Deidara sighed in exasperation. "I _know _I said that, but..." He shook his head and snapped it back to her. "What do you need me for?" The frustration was gnawing at him each second, but he knew it was over. The chance of finding out what was going on with Pein's plan with Ino? Gone. Of course, this only added to how anxious he was to keep her safe. What the _hell _was going to happen? _  
_

Seeing him so aggravated made all her needs vanish. "I'm, um, hungry." She blurted feebly.

"That's _it_? You interrupted that cause you're _hungry?" _He sighed,_ "_I thought I asked you earlier - you said you weren-"

"I know, but I am _now_." She pouted babyishly, and he had to inwardly admit that it was an amusing contrast to her usual bitchiness. "I know there's not much to eat, but there's some cup ramen..."

"You could've gone and made some yourself," Deidara pressed, "but it's done with, I guess, un. I'll have to talk to the leader later. I might as well eat some as well. Boil the water, I'll go grab the ramen cups..." As he had said, he stood and sauntered to the small cabinet the hotel provided, snatched a ramen cup - or bowl to be more specific - and passed it to Ino, who was in the mini-kitchen preparing the water. He returned to the spot they had just been sitting and waited impatiently. She strolled back with the steaming ramen, slowly walking whilst holding it delicately.

"How come it's only one cup?" She inquired, a disappointed expression plastered on her face. He chuckled at her - by the looks of it, she had been planning on wolfing out on her own, despite her petite figure.

A spreading grin made its way onto his lips, "Oh please, just share it, un." His tone was haughty and _implying_. She felt an exciting shock run through her skin. "I didn't think _you _would be so shy from the thought of eating from the same cup as me." He snickered.

"I-it's not _that_," She protested, though there really was no response. There was something about him that, even though she had just been caught in a making out session, made her nervous. jumpy and sensitive to smaller things like _this._ "Nevermind, let's just eat." For some reason, she couldn't peel her eyes away from him - this man, the man that stood before her, was _in love _with her. How could anyone _not _be jumpy?

She settled beside him, and coyly offered Deidara the chopsticks. He shook his head and pushed her hand back. "Feed me, un." He instructed nonchalantly.

Ino pursed her lips. "Are you _serious_? You're _grown up_. You expect _me _to feed-"

"Hurry up, Ino."

She glowered but cradled a clump of noodles between the chopsticks and raised it to his lips, where he delightfully stole it into his mouth and chewed. It was too tame for her; sh_e _impulsively wanted to talk about _what _just happened with his confession. Seriously. He had told her he _loved _her and they were _eating_?

"You look angry, un." He pointed out with observing eyes. "If it has something to do with being fed, I -"

"It's not that." She shook her head. It _was _a moment ago, but she was more occupied by a wanting than that now. In fact, feeding him was rather adorable. Her hands raised the chopsticks to her own lips and took it into her mouth. "Something else."

His eyebrow arched. "What, then?"

She vacillated, "...Well, I would've thought that when I had a guy reveal his love for me, I'd be... like," she couldn't quite lay her finger on the right words. "_not _sitting here and eating ramen with him." A wry smile quirked her lips. "I thought I'd be doing something more... romantic."

He seemed a little clueless. "You want to do something romantic...?"

"Err, well, it was just an old fantasy." Ino giggled nervously. Deidara shifted uncomfortably, and she noticed this, a wave of regret crashing onto her.

She opened her mouth to rectify but froze as he leaned in, lips close to her ear. "I know this isn't the most '_romantic_' thing, eating cupped ramen, but know that my feelings aren't any weaker than somebody who would've offered something more special, un."

A mad, fleeting shade of red swept past her face. "I'm, um, n-no. I didn't mean that - I wasn't saying that this wasn't good enough, I..." She trailed off, knowing she was rambling. _This _was the type of effect he had on him. Sure she would've blushed and sighed had it been someone like... Sai or Sasuke, but Deidara was special in that sense, being able to eat more from her. Of course, she already knew this a while ago when she had just realized her new found affection, but it was worthy of second note. _  
_

Ino lifted her head to see Deidara with a cocky grin. "You're highly entertaining, un. Even at the slightest comments."

"Shut _up_," she pursed her lips as he swallowed the ramen she offered with the chopsticks.

"You're always so spiteful, un."

The Yamanaka's nostrils flared at the comment. "_Stop_ it," she whined.

He sniggered and took another mouthful of the noodles, her following right after. Suddenly, his faced neared hers and she sucked in a wavering, thin breath. In no time, Deidara's lips were against her own, soft and gentle. He'd been gentle before, which was a surprising contrast, but he had never been _this _tender. Their lips molded upon each other, softly giving. She snaked her hand into his hair to stroke it and her other hand rose to do the same.

"_Ow_!" She yelped, instantly flinching and drawing away from him. "_Uughh!_" The groan was loud as she stared at the puddle of boiling ramen soup staining their clothing and skin. Burning too, she might add. The cup that had spilled was near empty, dropped limply on the floor with snaky noodles lifelessly laying there. "Sorry," she mumbled, hands rubbing arms as if to weaken the burn.

Deidara on the other hand, cringed and gritted his teeth in annoyance and she knew he was trying to hold in the burns. Hastily, Ino scurried and grabbed towels and napkins and returned. She tossed one to Deidara and used the other to wipe the carpet floor and herself. Just looking at him, it was obvious he was pissed off but he kept his anger silent for once.

"Are you alright?" She asked, gingerly reaching to touch his arm.

"Yeah," He grumbled, using the towel to wipe the soup off. "That was just uncalled for, un."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know, un... I just wasn't finished, exactly... " As he uttered the last word, he was on her once more. This time, Deidara's arm kept her in place as his mouth locked on hers longingly, _sweetly_. His kiss was passionate, kind, and almost a little mocking as she could feel the smirk playing on his lips. He pulled away, wet lips brushing against the kunoichi's before releasing her.

"I, um," she cleared her throat, flustered. "I can wash that for you, if you'd like? Your cloak, I mean."

He seemed to consider the thought. "No, it's fine Ino."

"Are you sure? There's a river close by - behind this building - I really can do it if you want."

"If that's the case... sure." Immediately, his hands worked to his cloak, slowly unbuttoning it and she felt her chest flip and she held her breath. He was stripping slowly, slow enough to be teasing her, though she knew that wasn't the case. He glanced up, "Something wrong, un?"

By his words, she knew it looked as if she was suffocating. "No no no," she let out a nervous laughter, "here, let me take that," she grabbed the cloak. "I'll be back in a bit." The thought of prancing around by the river in a frickin' _nightgown _was embarrassing, but who cared? A guy loved her.

"Twenty minutes at the most, alright? The idea of being alone bores me, un. I want you here."

She flushed. "Got it." And sauntered out the room, cloak in hand.

* * *

He had done it. He'd told her. Even though it wasn't in the way he'd expected, it was enough. She was _satisfied_. Deidara sat in the room, kneading his clay with zeal as strong as the explosion itself. _Twenty minutes_. And she still wasn't back. He rolled his eyes; Ino was always distracted with _something_.

Undeniably, the Akatsuki member was invigorated that night. He anticipated the Yamanaka's return, giddily glancing at the door with every passing minute. _Twenty five minutes_. He continued to toy with his clay, sighing impatiently. He watched the tongue of his hand protrude and hand over a white blob. Another sculpture was molded out of it as well.

_Thirty five minutes_. Deidara slunk against the floor awkwardly and waited. In the small time, he redid his hair, tying it up. _Forty minutes_. Where _was _she? With an impatient heave of a breath, he rose from the ground and slipped out of the hotel room. _Behind the building_, she had said. Accordingly, he made his way out, cloakless and stalked towards the darkness located in the rear of the hotel. As expected, their was a shimmering glint reflecting from the ground after striding a distance - the river.

"Ino," he called with exasperation. "why are you taking so long, un?"

There was no response.

"...Hey, Ino?" At the silence, he twinged with alarming panic. Instinctively, he rushed to the side of the river, hastily peering around for evidence of where she could be, or if she was around. No pale hair, no long, loose nightgown to be seen. But he saw his cloak. It lay limply against the ground, almost tipping itself into the streaming river. Deidara, for once, cursed himself for not having proficient sensoring skills and grabbed it, hand clutching the fabric monstrously.

A squeal of kunai shredded into the air and Deidara snapped his gaze into the direction it came from. Fear flooded his head, his legs headed for the direction it came from as he put on his cloak. "Oi, Ino!" He found himself shouting.

"D-Deidara...?" Her voice leaked past the dead night. "You there?"

She was behind the jungle of trees and bushes that walled in his sight. With a spurt of endurance, the blond pushed himself past the thorny shrubs and trees, staggering into an opening lit by the moonlight. Ino was there, leaning against a tree, panting while dirt stained her face and sleeping gown. One eye was wincing and a kunai was in her hand.

"Ino!" He scurried to her side, an aiding hand flitting to her shoulder.

She shook her head madly, panting. "No - look -" she managed, and raised a shaky finger.

Before even looking, he knew it was Tobi. But as his eyes laid upon his sleek figure, the boiling in his veins wouldn't stop. _Why the fuck Tobi...? What the hell does _Tobi _want with her? _He'd never seen Tobi with such a malicious aura to him, standing there so frighteningly motionless.

"Oh, Deidara Senpai... I guess I should've known that you would've been here..." He giggled. "But... I don't think you _should _be here. Ino-chan's gonna die!"

Behind him, Deidara felt Ino stiffen. "_What_?"

"_Pleeeeaaaase leave_! You'll be in trouble if you get mad at me too!" A glint in Tobi's hand caught his eye, and he recognized it as a kunai. A sharp, deadly kunai. Bloodless, but ready. "C'mon Senpai, hurry! You're not going to hurt me, are you...?"

He'd hurt Tobi many times before in anger, but to really, fatally _strangle _him was something he'd never done before. At the same time, that was what Deidara _wanted _to do. He didn't want to stir up trouble with the rest of the Akatsuki, but it tore him inwardly to put Ino at risk just 'cause he didn't want to be a target of discipline. "Put the kunai down, Tobi, un."

"H-huh...?"

"I said, put it down. Drop it and I won't need to hurt you."

"...S-senpai, you're not serious are you...?"

The blond Akatsuki glowered and prepared his clay within his hand-mouths. "_Let go of the kunai, Tobi_."

Ino from behind the crouched Deidara, peered over his shoulder and saw that Tobi's hand had defiantly tightened around the handle of the blade. And Deidara just blew it. Everything was a blur as she watched him dash towards the orange-masked Akatsuki, a kunai appearing in his hand as he lunged. Tobi - _swiftly _- curved out of the way and he was _faster_. She saw the haze of his orange mask trace near the blond, and suddenly the clay artist was whirling through the air, dropping painfully into the ground.

"_Deidara_!" She heard herself cry out.

The Yamanaka heard distant coughs as he rose with a rutted poise. "Tobi," he gasped for air, "how the hell did you...?"

"You're not allowed to know, Senpai."

Deidara growled and out of nowhere, two of his clay birds ascended into the air before hurdling themselves at the masked male. The explosions were powerful, quaking the ground as both men were thrown back from the impact of it, Tobi receiving the most, vaulting past the sky in a shuddering strength... and landed on his feet gently. Ino felt her fingers dig into the ground and tear the grass out in horror. Even Deidara was shocked by the movement. He wasn't _supposed _to be like that! He was supposed to be clumsy, uncoordinated and inept.

"...I really don't want to do this," Tobi squeaked in his shrill voice. The kunoichi knew it was fake. "but I guess I _have _to..." At his final word, she trembled as the blond was thrown back by a robust punch to the face, his body once again dropping limply into the ground as he grunted in pain.

Suddenly, everything felt so familiar. The way she watched, the way she could only stand there and witness the effort and the pain put in. Just like the days when the rest of Team 10 would escalate past the work whilst Ino stood on the sidelines, observing and noting and doing simply _nothing_ as her teammates would perform the beating _and _get _beaten_. Like how all her peers - Sakura and Hinata included - had _improved _and been able to _do _something for the ones they loved. How they were able to protect her and how she _wasn't _able to return the favor...

Her heart throbbed at the déjà vu - it really was a wretching feeling.

"D-Dei-d-! _Watch out_!" She screamed, but he had already been blown and plummeted into the earth as the ground seemed to shatter. She saw the viscous, scarlet liquid emit from his lips as he fell back onto the floor, shifting limply with a wounded groan.

She _couldn't _just sit back and watch Deidara get _beat up_. Not like back in Konoha. She _had _to help... Pushing herself onto her feet, she sprinted over to the two men. "S-stop!" Ino tried. Tobi's hidden gaze flicked to her and she felt her breath choke... but continued on. She was mere feet away from Tobi, Deidara laying at his feet.

Tobi lifted Deidara by his arm, the blond's limp body hanging as his bloody face lolled wiltedly. "Ino-chan..." He continued feigning the voice, "I'm not going to kill him - course not! Buuut, I _will _have to hurt Senpai if he keeps trying. Or if _you _keep trying too! So stop, right now, okay?"

It was as if Tobi had seen through her motives, but she refused to believe it for the sake of her courage. Holding her hands up, her fingers trembled as they formed a seal.

"_Shintenshin no Jutsu_!"

* * *

_A/N:_ _I've always thought Shintenshin had a ton of potential, but  
people really underrate it. Anyways, oooooh, what's gonna happen? ;)_

_Hahaa, just kidding. Thanks for reading! Hopefully you liked it! Reviews are appreciated too!  
_


	27. Deciphering Life and Reality

**Chapter 27: Deciphering Life and Reality  
**

_A/N: Oh my Jashin, you guys, I'm so sorry for such a long delay. I mean, I know  
I say that every week but I really mean it. I've been extremely  
busy, and when you have that as well as being a huge  
procrastinator, it all makes sense, right? I didn't even get to watch  
the Royal Wedding, gahhh._

_Anyways, I can honestly say that this chapter can be pretty stale and has a lot of flaws in it,_  
_but me being an impulsive person, I just wanted to post it as quickly as I could._  
_So yeah, here it is! Think of it as a late Easter present to all of yous!_

_Also, thank you all to your encouraging inboxes and messages. They really mean a lot to me  
and it really keeps me working on these chapters, even if they could be refined. I promise the  
next chapter will be much better (or so I hope XD) and well, enjoy!  
_

* * *

Slowly, the Yamanaka felt her frame of mind release and slip away. For a moment, everything was fluid and still as her spirit unraveled from her body and she felt a spasm of fear in terms of missing her target. Everything seemed to fade and turn gray. And she was back in a body. Her _target's _body. A body - her _real_, female body - slumped against the ground lifelessly in front of her and she took this as a good thing. The _shintenshin _was a _success_!

Reality soaked into her mind and she exhaled a breath. This body was aching _badly, _swollen and weak, and she felt Tobi from behind her tighten his arm around her arm harder. Teeth gritting in frustration, her arm swerved from his hand and she felt herself stagger free from the grip. She almost tripped over her real body from how Deidara's weak legs had been. Without a second glance at her enemy, her hands snaked around herself. Utilizing a spurt of chakra to her feet, she was launching out the clearing in her the blond Akatsuki's form, her own body in her arms.

It was weird, being in Deidara's body and carrying her own, but it was just as according to her plan.

Glancing down at herself, it looked like she was... _dead_. What made it good though was that, with her limited strength, she had dieted and meant to keep a light, petite figure. Her body wasn't heavy at all and it was easy to carry herself around the forest. Ino felt almost guilty possessing Deidara's body, but did she really have another choice? Valiantly, she skipped a glance past her shoulder to see Tobi, who was in the distance now, motionless. Not even following her. A skeptical pinch punctured her mind but she managed to release a sigh of relief.

Her relief was soon occupied by pain. Muscles in Deidara's shoulders rippled agonizingly and suddenly it was hard to carry her body. Her cheek, from the punch Deidara had received, felt sore and every other part of her body - bones especially - throbbed horribly. She had no idea where she was going but she needed to rest soon, as well as keep focus on her chakra continuing the jutsu. She utterly wished to have him near her, to angrily order her to do things right for protection or even reassure her - anything to just have him as his healthy, regular self. And exclusively for their position, just to hear a glimmer of his thoughts, to have him speak to her through his mind. The last thing she needed was a distraction though.

Ino flinched in alertness as she felt her chakra begin to fade. Her jutsu was reaching its time limit. She grunted and pushed her chakra into Deidara's head deeper, just to contain everything until she found somewhere to hide. A large tree within the forest seemed to be the only thing that would help and she strained herself to move to the area.

Abruptly, her perspective departed hazily and the world seemed to distort as she felt her spirit return to her original body. Colors stopped for a moment of time and then suddenly she was back in herself. Deidara was on the ground, breathing heavily but with such a weak, wretched tune, it made her cringe. Managing to pull herself upright, she gingerly reached for Deidara and pulled his body to hers. He was unconscious, probably from how her chakra unintentionally smothered his mind with such intensity. She rested his head on her lap and leaned her back against the tree, tilting her head upwards and breathed intently for air.

She glimpsed back at Deidara. It was weird, seeing him so restful and just... composed. The back of Ino's hand stroked his swollen, purple cheek and she brushed his long bangs out of the way with the spare hand. He looked_ throttle_, despite just a few blows, but Tobi's hidden power intimidated her. The Yamanaka swallowed as she caught a rhythm of her breath. She _had _to heal him. But first, she really needed to inspect how serious his injuries were - hopefully they weren't as horrible as they looked.

Unbuttoning his cloak, she pulled the front of his cloak out of the way, leaving it on but revealing the torso of his inner shirt. Her palms pressed against his chest, shifting to feel how it was there with his circulation, swelling of muscles, bones, etc. Next was his abdomen, which was more rattled than his chest. A stab of pain guiltily shot through her as she felt his uneven function of systems beneath her hands. Ino moved them to his shoulders, recalling how they were wounded badly when she had taken over his mind. She stifled tears when she felt his damaged muscles - his right shoulder could've been torn. It was harder to tell with his thick cloak in the way, but she didn't want to take the risk of damaging it any further by taking it off.

Quickly, Ino moved away, to his arms which suffered pain as well. His legs were weak but weren't badly impacted. Hips were firm and sore. Sniffling her flooding tears, she moved his head off her lap and her hands firmly moved to the center of his body and proceeded with emitting her chakra delicately, starting the healing jutsu. A jade colored luminosity radiated from her hands, and she forced the chakra evenly whilst containing herself. She shifted her arms so hands were at his right shoulder and continued on there. The medic circulated around every part of his body, healing tentatively and even tending his cheek. She also made sure to heal his skull, just to mend any risk of having a snag in his brain.

The process took a while and exhausted her _badly_. She couldn't assuage everything, not with her limited chakra and significance of some of the injuries, but she made sure to even them all out as much as she could. His state wasn't serious or fatal, but it was still significantly worthy of medical attention. By the end of it, she was gasping, chest heaving inwards, outwards as sweat trickled down her body. Leaning against the tree in a collapsing fatigue, she sighed before once again caressing his still swollen-but-reduced cheek.

A weak smile quirked her lips. Deidara really was an interesting beau, and she would do all she could to help him. A flinch crossed her body as she gazed at his fluttering eyelids. "D-Deidara...?" she said slowly. "How are you feeling?"

Perhaps she had asked this a little too soon as he merely disregarded her question, struggling in keeping his half-lidded eyes open. His head, which was pillowed by the earth, tilted to glimpse around his surroundings. "I-Ino?" Deidara managed to croak. She cringed at this - he'd never spoken so weakly to her.

"I'm here," she murmured, hands on his cheeks. She helped him sit upright, but it was impossible to keep him from slinking to the side. "Are you... okay?"

"What happened?" He rubbed his visible eye, "Tobi... he -"

"Yeah, it was... brutal."

"How'd we get here, un?"

She pondered about this - to tell him or not. "I... used a _Shintenshin _on you." She spoke delicately. "To get you out of there - you were pretty beat up out there."

Deidara groggily blinked. "What the hell's _shintenshin_, un?"

"...A jutsu of mine." Ino paused and thought it over. "It allows the user to transfer their spirit into the target's and dominate their mind, thus allowing control over the body. It's a little complicated to explain right now... We have other things to focus on." It was best to skip all the details about her jutsu's weaknesses, but his eyes were penetrating into her head, though, and she felt like he could see every naked thought lingering in her mind.

A nanosecond passed and she watched a flicker of shock skim past his contours before he frowned once more. "I don't want seeing you get yourself screwed up, and you went out there and - "

"_Deidara_," she groaned exasperatedly, "_please_. It's over and done with - be a little more grateful about me saving your ass, will ya?"

He scowled but kept silent. For a while, that was. "...Tobi, where is that bastard?"

The name sent shudders bolting down her spine. "I... don't know."

"Fuck that asshole, un... I'm gonna tell Leader-sama about this and he'll experience hell for sure!" She watched as his hands formed the familiar seal she had seen earlier in the hotel room. It was eerily silent as Deidara focused his chakra into the jutsu.

"Deidara - don't," she halted his concentration while putting her hand on his shoulder. He shot her a glare but she tried to smother it with her own steady gaze, "don't push yourself too hard. Your body's not in the best shape. Triggering your chakra network into focus could bring tension to your muscles..."

Deidara sighed. "I just contacted him - you broke the connection," a grimace twisted on his face. "I don't _care_ about my body. I've been through _worse _than this." The thought terrified her but she didn't overwhelm him any further. "Ino, this is about _you_, do you understand, un? You shouldn't _be _in this danger."

The irony of it all was just burning in her ears. Why _wouldn't _she expect danger while accompanying the Akatsuki? "...I don't _want _it to be about me."

Both remained quiet once again, lips sealed and pensive. The blond sighed in a provocation and just by glance, she knew the frustration was just boiling through his veins. "You should go somewhere safe, un."

"Wh-what?"

"You'll definitely get hurt if you stick around."

The notion of him not wanting her around was wounding, even knowing the purpose was to keep her unscathed. "You're not going to go out there on your own, are you?" Ino inquired with shattering hope. "You shouldn't even be fighting Tobi! I mean, you'll get yourself hurt and..." Her voice began to trail off with eyes steadying against his. "At least bring me with you," she said, her heartbeat dwindling with every second. "if you're going to fight, I mean. You _shouldn't_... But if that's what it comes down to, I could heal you an-"

"Please stop, un."

An adamant shake of her head was given, but her insides wavered. "I'm _serious_. _You _need to take this seriously too!"

His head was thrown back with a patronizing laughter, "I'm an S-rank criminal; I _think_ I can handle this. I'll utilize chakra if I _want _to - the circumstances basically require it, do you understand?"

"Let _me _go grab your leader then - just let me help out..."

Deidara's eyebrows pinched together. "You're really desperate about this, aren't you?"

"Yes."

He sighed, incensed and she could almost feel his resistance succumb to her defiance. _Almost_. "Listen, we need to get moving _now_." He breathed, "The last thing we need is to be held back by something as stupid as _this_, so quit arguing with me and just _listen_ and leave, un."

As much as he had hoped his command would push her, there was a part of him that hoped it would exacerbate her even more. This aspect was successful. "Deidara!" She barked, the unsheathed anger deadly flaring, "would you _stop _being such a jer-"

The tree settling behind them burst with an impact that threw their bodies into the mist of the dust. Ino hacked weakly as her azure eyes darted to watch Deidara struggle to his feet, his feet betraying and buckling beneath him. "Shintenshin, hm?" Tobi melted from the darkness. From the corner of her eye, she saw that the sudden low, deep tone at the '_hm_' went unnoticed by Deidara. "That was very creative! I thought you were going to hit _me _with it!"

Tobi tossed him a dismissing glance before stepping towards her. With every step he took, his vivaciousness was disappearing little by little and what she saw was not a giddy killer - not even a _fake _one - but a menacing mystery's shadow hovering over her. His gloved hand reached out to clip a tuft of her hair, resulting in a screech crying from her lips from the searing pain simmering over her scalp.

Eyebrows wriggling in submission, limp arms and tears ready to explode, she bit on her bottom lip, squeezing her eyes tightly and braced herself for the blow that was ready to come.

"Stop." She froze immediately upon hearing the words. Trembling, her head shifted a fraction of an inch and her mouth fell into an oval. "Deidara, what is the meaning of this?"

The bomber couldn't quite find his mouth but instead, shot Pein grueling eyes. At the very moment Tobi's hand had slackened against her head, her escape was made from a squirm before scuttling over to the leader of the Akatsuki. "It's not his fault," the girl wheezed. With all three pairs of eyes on her, it made her feel ultimately weak - like a worm to a hawk.

"Enlighten me then, Ino."

She flinched when the leader of the Akatsuki uttered her name. "T-Tobi," and she felt like a tattler. Deidara darted her sharp, incising eyes but she didn't recollect the words.

Pein's irregular orbs were not fazed. "I ordered him to do so." He said, his demeanor stoic.

The air died, silent and cold as the two blonds gaped. Ino's breath seemed to have been lodged behind a barrier trapped in her throat as the scarring shock began to contaminate her. It wasn't long before Deidara ruptured into a shout. "_What_? What do you mean, un?"

The leader remained calm. "The plot I was referring to before - this was one procedure needed to be taken out. I didn't foresee that it would have been this complex, however. Ino, you've truly proven to be a handful."

"What does Ino have anything to do with this? You wanted to _kill _her? You wan-"

"Quiet, Deidara." His voice had barely thundered, but its depth were filled with such bold dominance, Deidara actually shut his mouth. "Ino is from Konohagakure. That should explain it all."

The bomber's eyes were large as he began to analyze the words, and then, it seemed to have slammed into him like a boulder. "She... she doesn't know the Jinchuuriki," he said with a parched throat. "Not personally."

"Doesn't she? I'd like to know how Sasori's spied have collected such data then."

_Sasori... _She struggled to swallow.

"Ino," he mustered the words frantically, the disturbance blotching his facial features, "you don't know him, right?" She'd never heard his words tremble so much - she witnessed the glimmer of hope he spoken, hoping that she'd say no, but the skepticism cowering behind his sharp eye was enough for her to know.

She nodded scarcely. Truth be told, she had _no _idea what was going on. Only little pieces scattered, unable to create a coherent puzzle. Deidara was afraid to she'd get hurt by knowing Naruto - but he didn't know _what _was going to happen - Akatsuki's leader had been planning to kill her - Tobi was to carry it out... Question was, why? What reason did they have to kill her for a relationship.

It vaguely clicked. They probably wanted something to do with capturing Naruto.

"Tell me, Ino - how well did you know him?" Pein asked.

Her weight shifted. There was no way she could lie to him. "F-fairly well." she responded shadily, fearing any further explanation.

"Explain."

_Darn_. "H-he was... someone I saw around a lot. Annoying, but... a great person."

"You were close, un?" He interceded.

"Not close, but... you could say he was one of my greater friends."

Deidara cussed under his breath, Pein looked upon her considerately. The blond male turned to him. "_Why _do you want to hurt her? There's no reason to, un."

His eyes flickered, "Psychological torture." He smoothed and then commenced to venture into the details. "It starts with you - since you were already in our possession, Sasori was tactical and chose to utilize your distracted time with Deidara to deploy spies and gather information. He was able to discover you were apart of the Jinchuuriki's closer circle of friends, as well as a member of Team Asuma. This was one of the reasons why we kept you after your lie, rather than executing you as originally planned. We're also aware of how devoted the Jinchuuriki is with his bonds. After devising a plan, our first action was to kill you and hold onto your body. It was going to be used to let Konoha know that you were dead. From there on, it could have gone two ways; one, the Jinchuuriki would be enraged and track us down himself. The flaw to this was, were you that precious to him that he'd react so boldly? He had teammates and instructors that were much closer to him than you.

"The second alternative would go as follows; the Jinchuuriki would be angered, however Konoha would be intelligent enough to realize this was bait to lure him near. They would send another group - and that is where your team comes along. Your team, of course, would react much more strongly to this. In their mindsets, it would be more logical to have them hunt us, as they are not a target of ours and such like the Nine-tails is. In other terms, it would be a risk, but still less of a gamble. We would kill them as well, creating a cycle of revenge from each of the Jinchuuriki's friends. Time would elapse and he would come after us from impulse, and that is when he falls right into the trap we had set up."

She was speechless. The plan - so horrible - was not what she would have expected. It was unprofessional, sloppy and held many loose ends... Yet, completely canny and diabolical. She felt her heart beat falter and cringe. All of this just for Naruto? Why did they want the Bijuu anyway?

"I..." Ino was desperate for words. "y-you don't have to go through that trouble."

"Is there another method you intend we use?"

Her hands were trembling against her lap and the words began to pour from her lips - just more words for the weakness to bleed and shame her. "Why not use someone else for this? You c-could use some he's closer to..."

"Killing someone who was his life may corrupt his sanity - I'll admit that it would be a challenge for him to approach us if that were the case." He paused. "You are a mere futile vessel that happens to have bonds with our target. It's natural to use you as our lure."

She began to protest, "But what if yo-"

Something hard briskly dug into her ribs. "_Shut it_, un." Deidara hissed, his elbow still against her side.

"But Dei-"

"I said _shut _up." He gave her a quick glare. "I don't _need _another captive. I don't _need _to see you get hurt by the damn leader. Shut your mouth if you want to stay out of trouble, Ino." Her lips tightened into a thin line and she obliged, turning away. How harshly his words were molded irked her... but he was only trying to protect her. The Akatsuki faced his leader. "We can resort to something else, can't we, un?"

Pein seemed to hitch an idea. "Would Ino be willing to betray her Naruto?"

Every inch of her skin froze. "...Y-you mean... sell him out? Or trick him?"

"Precisely."

Deidara nudged her side and lobbed her a knowing glance. She averted her eyes. There was a confusion forcing against her feelings, blurring the answer she needed to know. Would she? _Could _she? Turning her back on Naruto - one of the most, admittedly, heroic people of her village - was like turning her back on Konoha. Head throbbing, the thought that she already _had _betrayed them streamed frighteningly. Why did one word matter when she'd already done so much? "I... um," When did life become so hard? Where did her outspoken voice vanish to? Tension pulled at the joints of her fingers as they dug into the earthy, soft ground, her knuckles hardening with every passing second. "I don't know."

"You're hesitant to do so, are you?"

A voice that was silent for the whole time spoke. "Let's give her a minute to think it over, Leader-sama," Tobi glanced her way.

Her teeth bit down on her bottom lip, inhaling gingerly before turning her voice to Deidara. "What should I do...?

"What?"

"What do you think I should do, Deidara...?" He noticed she was avoiding his eyes while whispering helplessly. "I'm... not sure what I want to do."

"...Don't ask me Ino. You already know what I'd say." He murmured gruffly. The feeling of pressure didn't attract him.

In response, she weakly shook her head. "You'd probably want Naruto, right? He _is _your target after all..."

His eyes squeezed shut. "Ino, I just want you to stay alive. Just ditch the idiot already, un!"

"Don't say it like _that_..."

Aware of Pein's waiting eyes penetrating into the shell of his skin, he pressed his hand onto her shoulder, the thin fabric of her nightgown seeming to act like steel armor from his touch. "Say something, un." He didn't like how he was pressuring her. Despite the many merciless things he'd already done - things that didn't faze him at all - it felt so wrong to drive her into something she needed to time for. It felt like sinking into a pool of reluctance and dread. And _shit_, when did he _care _so much? When did he start to worry about matters like this? Sure, he'd gotten over how he was starting to "care" and "love" her, but inwardly facing guilt because of _this_? The "immoral" things beyond the level of this that he'd done hadn't even nicked his sanity at all.

When he angled her so she was inclined towards him, all he was capable of doing was stare at her figure. Ino sat there, slumped on her knees. Her thighs quivered and shook, her deep cerulean eyes distant and her chin hung weak. "...Ino?"

"Yeah?" It seemed as if her body had flinched back into reality.

"Yamanaka Ino," The leader spoke suddenly. "I'll give you one day to respond and make up your mind. If you have not made your decision by then, we will continue with our original plan and kill you. Bear in mind though, should you choose to leave the Jinchuuriki be, you will remain as the inept girl you have always been to us. We will not hesitate to kill you and your teammates for the sake of our plan as well."

_This is my chance_. "Ino, let's go." Deidara murmured, hands working at tugging on her arm. She was stiff and remained planted onto the ground._ "Ino_." He echoed once, eyebrows binding irascibly. A moment of stillness lifted in the air and then she tentatively worked herself onto her feet. Her knees wobbled weakly - it looked as if her frail legs would break at any second.

The feeling of her hand being taken into his sent a warm surge of comfort pulsing into her veins. "Right..." She susurrated, letting his direction guide her as they began to walk out of the woods. Every ounce of fear and troubles that had pestered her before - Tobi, her teammates chasing her - was all gone. Now it was their safety and her essence. Choosing to really lure Naruto towards the Akatsuki... That was severing the ties she had with her friends, wasn't it? Their purpose to protect Naruto, their friendship and love... But giving her _self _to the Akatsuki? She was past the fear of death now. In this matter, whether she died or not didn't matter and the valiant courage shocked her - it just didn't better anything. If the Akatsuki got a hold of her body, her friends would be at risk anyway.

She didn't notice how the person ahead of her didn't say anything the whole way back to the hotel. A warmth swept past her skin as they entered the building and Deidara released her hand. Slowly tailing him, Ino felt like a void as they mutely crossed the hall and he opened the room. Upon stepping in, the door shut and locked.

"So, what exactly are you going to do?" He questioned instantly.

Her eyes flickered away. "Listen, I'm not in the mood to talk about that."

Obviously he didn't let her go. "It's not something you can just sidestep," he snapped, locking his hand on her wrist.

"I'll think about it later."

"Thinking isn't necessary, you're going to do it, un."

"What?"

His eyes lowered darkly. "I said you're going to do it. I'm not letting you _die_, and if you do it, then this Bijuu matter of the Nine-Tails will be over with and we can move on." He shook his head. "I know this seems like a difficult decision to you, but all he is is just a Jinchuuriki. A host of a Bijuu that once no one cared about, so what's the point in pining over trash like that, un?"

A second passed and her hand had flown out and whipped past his face. "Don't you _ever _say that again!" She snarled. "This isn't your decision, Deidara, this is mine. What you're telling me to do is making me feel like hell ten times worse, not that I'd expect _you_, a missing-nin, to understand how I feel at all and the relationships I have with people. All I could use now is your help and support, _thank you very much._"

He was speechless, both from the force of her slap and words. "Might I remind you that you're classifying as a missing-nin as well?" Deidara replied stiffly; it was the best he could work up. With someone as troubling as Ino, the very thought of having another full-on fight tired him and he kept his words bland.

"...I never chose this."

"Neither did I."

"You don't mind killing people or abandoning your village."

"Which is the sole reason why I _need _you to live, un. It's not a normal feeling for me to care about someone like this."

_Shoot_. He went _there_. "...I don't want to fool Naruto, or do whatever the Akatsuki wants me to do to kill him."

"Ino," The note of his voice was hard, "you don't understand, do you? It's _death_, okay? _Death_, un. If you die for the life of a _Jinchuuriki_, that's _disgraceful_. Whatever you do, they'll still hunt him down using you anyways. You'll die for nothing."

His logic was enough to topple any of her rebuttals over. Flicking her head in the opposite direction, she avoided his gaze."...Just _please_, drop it for now, okay? This is the last thing I want to think about."

When silence was the response, Ino threw herself onto her bed, turning her back towards him and sunk into the soft volume of her pillow. Her eyes squeezed shut, forcing over a sleep she couldn't quite get. There wasn't a clue in her head on what Deidara was doing or what he was thinking but she wasn't going to press it against herself. A small yearn for him to saunter over and slip in with her and cradle her in his arms washed over her briskly before she drifted off to a slumber.

* * *

When her eyes opened, there was nothing to be greeted by but a silent grey air. Ino shuffled herself upright, reflexively stretching her arms before her eyes flitted to her side. Heart drumming as she watched Deidara stare out the window, his arms crossed against his chest, not noticing her wavering gaze. The way his eyes concentrated against the glass of the mirror was alluring and handsome, though she never let this escape her head.

And then last night's memories crashed against her stability and suddenly, her insides churned and submerged in ice. "...Deidara?"

He flinched and allowed his head to incline towards her. "Oh, you're awake now, hm?"

"You should get ready now; you slept in for a while and he just contacted me, un."

Air bubbled in her throat. "You mean... the leader?"

"Who else?" He muttered gruffly. Probably still sulky over last night. She noticed Deidara's cheekbones were high and tense, his teeth biting hard on his lower lip. Dark circles etched beneath his eyes, drained of circulation and providing a sign as a lack of sleep. "Go get dressed otherwise we'll be late." He interrupted her observations. With stale movements, her body obliged and searched for her everyday attire. Skipping her routine of a shower, she slowly slipped into her outfit.

"Where are we going?" Her throat managed to rasp as her nervous eyes skimmed over him. "Back to the forest...?"

A tic at the corner of his lip made her dread the answer altogether. "Yes, it seems that way, un."

The air thinned itself into silence and the pair exited the building in the midst of an unsettled cloud of despondency. Oddly enough, she felt nothing while headed towards the mass of trees and that itself seemed to be a problem. An emptiness bobbled in her stomach, floating lightly yet pulling her into a heavy dreariness. And what made things worse was how Deidara asked her what her decision would be. She couldn't work up a response - not when there was nothing to think about. There wasn't even a glimmer of motivation to help open her mouth as he waited whilst steaming impatience.

And she didn't have an answer to go along with it. She'd have to make her decision in the short stroll there. Not that it had helped much. Time elapsed within itself and they were there. It was out of character to have Deidara being so silent and keep his mouth shut for so long about something like this, but she didn't argue. Pein's rainbow silhouette began to manifest itself before her eyes and she braced herself for the wrenching sensation; nothing happened.

Things like this - not being able to react - was the best feeling there was to a situation like this. "Your decision has been made, Ino?" He demanded impassively.

"Yes." She forced the word out. Deidara arrowed her an alarming look but kept his movements flaccid and passive.

Ino inhaled deeply, holding it in for an eventual moment before exhaling. "I won't do it."

A long trice of silence froze time as the Akatsuki's leader perforated his eyes into her own. And then as instant as the moment itself, heat ascended around her before her vision burst into only ribbons of crackling redness and orange - fire. A scream escaped her lips as her body combusted into a river of flames. Deidara's cry of her name was shrouded by the crackling and hiss of the fire eating away at her life and was the last thing she heard before everything fell silent.

* * *

"Ino! _Ino_!" Something violently nudged her.

On instinct, a jerk created a spasm through Ino's body and she felt her muscles spring forward. Her eyelids sailed open with a squeal echoing from her mouth. What she saw was nothing threatening; just the hotel room. _A dream_? she thought, relief waiting to burst within her body. It didn't come though. The terrifying tremors overpowered it and she found herself merely wanting to curl up and cry.

"What's wrong with you, un?"

Her head slowly churned to glance at the hero who had waken her up. "...Deidara," she managed to croak weakly. Her voice was dry, ill and bland. His hands were continued to hold her shoulders into place as he inspected her carefully. "I'm alright..."

"...Are you sure?" He ventured skeptically. Only then did she feel the brittle, thin layer of dried tears on her cheeks.

Shock. "I was crying?"

"And screaming, un."

Ino raised her head to be stunned by his appearance - dark circles tainted his unusually grey face, tired. His stare bored into her skin and she felt transparent - like everything she was containing was hidden by glass. The thought of this called tremors from her body as the aftershock began to work its wonders. With trembling fingers, she could feel the tears rushing to her head and the whimpers threatening to exit her lips, despite how forcefully she bit on her lower lip. Falling into the shame, she let them stream down her cheeks as she cried, quivering uncontrollably and hiding behind her long hair.

"Ino," He murmured, touching her arm.

The instant the contact was made, she threw herself at him. Ino pressed her body against his, muffling her face within the soft fabric of his cloak and allowing her sobs to soak into it. Her arms molded around him and she hugged so tightly, it was a strength she didn't know she had. "D-Deidara," She managed to whimper, "I don't know... what I should do." Irony struck her words powerfully and she felt guilt stir inside her body at the fact of how they had just argued the day before. "I'm _scared._"

He was frozen at the sudden reaction. Never was he put on the spot like this, having someone bawling against him while feeling pressured to _comfort _them. He wasn't used to this _at all_. Not even with Ino - she'd never done this. Deidara was hesitant, but lifted a hand to pat her back. "It's... fine, un. Don't worry about this - just make the right decision."

"But y-you said... Naruto is - "

"Don't say it," he pressed. "it'll only make things worse, understand? We still have a bit of time left, so use that time to relax and concentrate." What he _wanted _to say was, not to sacrifice herself for the damn guy. But looking at her broken self, it was hard to force the words out.

Her clutch tightened around him and she pushed her face into his chest even further. "I'm sorry for everything," She whispered.

Deidara found the will to lift his arms and encircle them around her thin figure. "Just keep quiet, un." The warmth radiating from her body was not just a heat - it gave him a warm, fuzzy sensation that forced an acceleration in his heart. He'd never been in this position before, but somehow, he was fine with it. She sniffed in response but he felt the nudge of her head nodding.

The rest of the afternoon was constructed with nothing but bleak comforting and a stirring discomfort. Deidara even felt sick from the anticipation of not knowing what she was going to say. The nerve was getting to him, and throughout their time together, sweat was beading against his temples. Would it be their last time together? Oh, _fuck_. If she was killed, he would go _berserk. _There wasn't any doubt of that. Ino delicately took sips from her ceramic cup of water.

"More water?" She requested softly.

Without a response, he took the cup from and strode away. As the water streamed into the cup, his teeth tore the skin of his lower lip in uneasy frustration. The feeling was, literally, like wanting to explode. Not that he'd let her know that. It'd probably upset her more and worse, anger her for his "lack of sensitivity". _Sensitivity my ass. Don't make the wrong decision, Ino, _please. _Don't submit. _He thought sourly, a grimace twisting on his face as he handed her the cup.

"Are you mad?" Ino probed blatantly.

"Hm? What do you mean, un?"

"You have an ugly frown."

He arched an eyebrow. "..._What_?"

"Heh," she emitted a soft, low laughter. It struck upon him that this was her attempt at lightening both of their moods. It wasn't very successful, but he noted how she _tried_. "you should loosen up a bit. You look really tense right now... With last night's condition, it's not healthy for your body to be put under that type of pressure."

"You could do the same, un."

Her eyelashes feathered gently against her skin, a turn of her head following it and silence unfolding right after. The two of sat awkwardly against the bed - Ino with unevenly huddled legs against her body as Deidara propped against the edge of it. He drew a breath and opened his mouth to recollect the words, but a piercing squeal shot through his head.

_Meet me in the forest with Ino._ The fabric of the sheets were being tightened by his hard grip. The way he'd explain it to Ino...? He couldn't even compute how he would do it, or how she'd feel. Her anxiety would be of beyond his, for sure.

"Ino-chan? Are you in there?" Behind the door, a voice swept fuzzily through the walls.

"T-Tobi?"

Deidara's teeth gritted while the doorknob twisted and the door swung open. "Leader-sama just called, so I thought we should walk there together!" _Now? We're leaving now_? A quivering lower lip made it hard for her to respond back.

Instinctively, the blond murderer rose from the bed, balling his fists and slamming them down against a nearby surface. "You _bastard_! You think you can just come here and say that after all the shit you just did, un? Get _out!_"

"Senpai! Calm down! Those were orders," he laughed nervously, which Ino took as being feigned. "I wouldn't _actually _hurt my senpai! I had no choice..."

"Tch, what else do you have to hide from me? The fact that you're actually capable of being a shinobi tells me there's a lot more on what I'm missing on." He pressed. His statement, so oblivious, almost choked a few words out of Ino. If only he knew that Tobi was an entirely different person... The Yamanaka strained herself, stifling any sound of her voice. Maybe a little too hard - the masked Akatsuki glanced at her perceptively. "You were going to kill her without telling me, un."

"Hey, hey, hey, they were _orders_! Leader-sama would kill me if I didn't follow him, you know!"

His lips pulled into a malicious snarl. "_I _would've killed you if you did it."

"Wasn't _I _the one that pummeled _you_, Senpai?"

There was no time to react when she saw Deidara lunging across the room in a fit of rage with eyes twinging with a monstrous bloodlust. The blur of his figure aiming right for Tobi made her heart stop coldly and forced her to suck a frosty breath. His body flew right through Tobi's, drawing a gasp before Deidara landed on his feet flatly. "Another jutsu?" He growled breathlessly.

"Deidara, _stop_!" The kunoichi nearly toppled over herself upon rushing off the bed. "If you do any more, you'll damage your body severely!_" _It was a lie. She only needed him to stop and didn't care if her prompt was useless or not. If he even tried to step up to Tobi once more, who knew how badly he'd get hurt.

"Thanks to this guy."

"_Please_, don't." The tears were beginning to roll in from the corners of her eyes. As if she needed any more to strangle herself over.

There was no missing the reluctance in his movements, but Deidara recoiled from his attacking position and restrained himself. "Fine, un." After one last glare towards Tobi, he made his way towards the door. "Ino, we should leave now."

"Wait," Tobi obstructed. "I need to talk to Ino-chan alone for a bit."

"_No_, you can't."

"Senpai, pl-"

"I said _no_."

"Deidara," Ino interceded, "just let him say what he has to."

He was taken back by how nonchalant she was and this beckoned his suspicion. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Eyebrows narrowed against his metallic blue eyes and he darted her one last glance. "I'll wait right outside the room, un." And with the last word, he sauntered out of the door, leaving both Ino and Tobi alone within the room.

For some reason, she felt assured that he wasn't eavesdropping, though she _knew _he was ready to break in any second. A chilling sensation crystallized over her skin as she turned to stare at Tobi's vibrant mask. It wasn't that she _wanted _to speak to him, much less hear what he had to say. It was just little impulses that drove her to talk to him. Whatever he had to say, she merely wanted it to get over with. The feeling of safety had slipped away from her grasp a _while _ago. Even Deidara's presence wasn't enough to shield her from the fear of facing these dangerous Akatsuki members.

"Ino-chan," she flinched at the continuation of his fake voice. "I don't know what you're going to say to Leader-sama today, but... I just want to _advise _you not to say the wrong things, okay?"

She leaned away from him. "What do you mean?" Her hand had floated towards her chest, balling into a fearful fist. Just staring at his unseen face, while knowing the many secrets he kept hidden, felt like staring death in the core. The depths were unknown, but you knew there was something there.

He began to step towards her, and suddenly she felt frozen in place. Her heart was racing just as quickly as her head, sweat perspiring on the back of her neck. He leaned in just the slightest bit. In the voice he kept masked from everyone else, the deep, mature one, he quietly said, "I promise you, as long as you say nothing of my identity to anyone, especially Deidara, I will not lay a finger on you in any way anymore."

She breathed, "W-what...?"

"There will be no harm dealt if you keep quiet. That is what I can assure you."

"...I won't mention who you are - or _what _you are, and you won't hurt me again...?" She whispered softly.

"Exactly." No more words were said from him as he headed towards the door. It opened, and he stepped through the frame. In the midst of this time, he had somehow rebounded back into his preppy personality. "Okay, Ino-chan! Hurry up! The leader's gonna be mad if he doesn't hear from us soon!" Tobi called vivaciously.

She followed towards the door, her stepping stale and weak. Deidara peered in and helped compose her posture. "What did he say to you, un?" He muttered warily, the brittleness just a little too strong. "He didn't threaten you, did he?"

"N-no."

"Then?"

She hesitated. "...He just told me something that's making me think about how I'm gonna talk to that leader of yours. I just need time to think now, okay?" She glanced up at his face, a sincere look of hesitation plastered against hers. "Leave Tobi out of this - it'll help me and my sanity, please, Deidara."

The bewilderment cluttered as he cocked an eyebrow. "Alright, then..." He drawled warily, and she knew he was trying to decipher what exactly had happened.

Ahead of her, Tobi galloped past the hallway. For some strange reason, her heart was inclined to believe his words and her head made it as truth. All the threats, the trepidation about Tobi was slowly beginning to fade, and she realized one thing - she really _wasn't_ going to be harmed by him. He was speaking truthfully. And how did she know? It wasn't a certainty, but she was a Yamanaka after all. If anything, minds and games were her expertise and after all she had gone through with the Akatsuki, the rules of a dangerous game were beginning to unfold. "Okay, let's go then." She took his hand in hers. Her only threat now would be Pein.

* * *

The lobby of the hotel offered solemn and very unwelcoming glares from the people clustered in the room. She could only guess that it was from the noise they had made up above. How they knew it was _them_, she didn't know, but it was a guess that her scream was recognized as a young lady's and gave them away. Upon stepping onto the flat ground outside, a nauseating feeling raided her body. It never subsided as the trio made their way to the forest of trees. In fact, with every nearing step they took, more would attack her.

Fear, anxiety and a gut-wrenching stab of strangling all colliding into one kunoichi's body was too much for her to handle. And there on, she realized, _this _was the fine line between reality and dreams. In dreams and imaginations, you could never experience the true strength of realistic feelings as you could in the naked reality itself.

"Are you alright, un?" He murmured into her ear, his hot breath tickling the skin of her head.

_No, definitely not_. "I'm managing... barely." Sweat had already caked her face, and her palms were clammy with enough sweat to make her hand slip and slide in Deidara's hold.

"Tell me, what're you gonna do? Die? Or no?"

She swallowed painfully, a lump of discomfort swelling n her throat. "I'm still not sure..." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Deidara grit his teeth violently._ If this is how much I'm making him go through now, I can't even imagine how he'd be like if I really did give my life for Naruto..._ "Tell me though, would you hate me if I... 'threw my life away for a Jinchuuriki'?"

"I can't _hate _you, un."

"That's not the answer I was looking for, Deidara." She remarked.

"Yours wasn't either."

Using her other wet hand, she pull the damp hair away from her eyes. Everything was happening just like her dream - the way Pein appeared in front of them, the way Deidara looked like he would kill someone, and how she was felt a lone girl, running through a maze that would close in on her if she uttered the wrong word. It just wasn't this painful.

"What will you do, Yamanaka Ino?"

And when she thought about the dream, the thoughts, Tobi, Deidara, her village, her friends, her _life_, she had finally found something. It wasn't a certain one. She couldn't think of that within a second, but it was the answer her heart agreed with. Ino released his hand and stepped forward, beckoning all three of the Akatsuki's eyes as she prepared herself to reply with the answer she hoped would hold no regrets.

* * *

_So again, I do apologize if you're a bit disappointed. I'll make sure to correct all my errors and improve on this  
when I can. I'm also sorry if it seems really rushed. I do want to finish this before we go into Summer, because _that  
_is when you probably won't get an update for like, YEARS. Also, I spent FOREVER trying to make it seem  
less confusing but I think I really destroyed the chapter along the way, hehe.  
_

_But still, if you read this chapter, thank you for doing so & sticking with me and my lazy head. I'm  
glad you're still supporting and waiting on the chapters, and that really brings the best outta me._

_xoxo, review & keep waiting! I'll get started on the next chapter instantly!  
_


	28. Ineffable

**Chapter 28: Ineffable**_  
_

_Warnings:_ **M-rated content. Lemon_._**_  
_

_A/N: Aye, after constant constant constant editing, I finally have this chapter out, GOD.  
YES, finally, your m-rated material is here LOL. It's been 28 chapters since I friggin set them rating, LOLOL._

_PLEASE NOTE: **This is my first time writing a lemon. Don't be too harsh ^^; **  
I might've dragged it out too long, but that might be a good thing for those of you who like "longer" scenes, ehe.  
I named the chapter "Ineffable" mainly because throughout this whole chapter, I was really struggling  
on deciding how to describe things and such, ESPECIALLY the lemon, lol. So I guess the chapter title  
relates moreso to me than it does the story, but it's a pretty versatile name, ne? ;3  
_

_There may be some errors, but I'm definitely going to fix all of my mistakes in this chapter!  
It's been a pretty busy summer, haha.  
_

_THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU REVIEWERS, READERS & SUPPORTERS. You guys make me so happy!  
So blahblahblah I need to shut up, enjoy!_

* * *

_Please don't let me regret this... _"I'll do it. I'll help you with capturing Naruto." For the shortest second, Ino felt a pang of panic as she uttered the words before it quickly dissolved. No, she didn't want to do it at all. But if her body was given up, it was unbearable to what would happen to her friends. With this decision, they'd be a step further away from dying by the hands of this organization. Would the family shatter more over thinking she was dead than she was working with the Akatsuki? Probably. But to her, what mattered most was not what she did or didn't do - it was whether she wanted to or not. Her thoughts were different from her vile actions, but she was still going to consciously do it - but, she was still the Ino they had known and loved. She was coming closer and closer to killing her comrade, though she still burned with the will of fire.

"Ino..." Deidara murmured, the astonishment as clear as staring through glass. He reached for her hand, cuffing her wrist. "...You're sure, un?"

She wouldn't let this decision eat away at her. She _chose _this as her fate and if it meant living with a toxic remorse, then it was her fault. There was something about staying within the Akatsuki that stimulated her - the possibilities. She had no limits, no restraints, only choosing from possibilities that she wanted. Dangerous, definitely, but lazy, toughening, and rather enjoyable. The biggest reason though... she couldn't leave Deidara; as selfish as it was to choose love over home, it was what she _wanted_, it really was, and the thought of having him go through anguish if she died for his enemy was sickening to the gut. "Yes." She nodded.

The relief broke across his face instantly. He made no attempt to hide it and the feeling itself made her feel a tad better. She'd already expected it, but Deidara was content with the decision, at the least.

The guilt swamping her mind was beginning to fade - each second elapsing gave her more reasons to willfully capture Naruto. Konoha would need not to pursue the Akatsuki in defense, only revenge. Her teammates would no longer play a part in Akatsuki's initial plan for her. She could _stay with Deidara_...

"For now, you remain with Deidara and Sasori, as Sasori's subordinate. Await your next orders. It is expected that you don't fail us and put your effort into help achieving our goal. So it's recommended that you prepare your mentality for what could come."

Once more, she nodded and his hologram dispersed.

"Ehhh, he never said what I was supposed to do..." Tobi ran his fingers through his short hair. "Guess I have to stick with you guys, hehe." His giggle was mischievous, and sounded like the annoying Tobi she had once known. Her tension slipped away the slightest bit. Ino glanced at Deidara, expecting him to snap at Tobi but he merely took her arm and skirted around the trees with her. Tobi was left somewhere, but it wasn't her problem.

There was a small nervousness in the pit of her stomach. "Where are we going?" _If we're flying... _The sick sensation was already beginning to raid her stomach.

"Back to the hotel, un." He sounded exhilarated. "Whatever you want to do, just say it."

There was a hint of excitement in her voice as she responded. This was basically the first time she was able to do anything she wanted while she'd been with the Akatsuki. "What are the options?"

"There's not much you can do in a village like this, un. The hotel offers a few things, or we could go flying - maybe mess around with a few explosions? Perhaps -"

"Oh that's right - there's a hot spring in the hotel, right?" There was a small, eager luster in her eyes. "Maybe we could do that... Relaxation's what I need right now." _I can't believe I'm going to take a bath after what I just said. _Inwardly, she shook her head. _I need to be as happy as ever, though. Whatever will make it easier... for both Naruto and I._

Deidara's expression seemed to descend into what seemed bland. He didn't press further, just continued strolling by her side as they entered the hotel. Upon entering the lobby, her eyes quickly skimmed the room in hopes of finding the changing rooms that lead to the springs. Just the thought of having the godly water against her skin made her mind hectic. When a door with a steaming symbol caught her sight, she pointed. "There."

Deidara obliged and the two entered the door. Inside, you could hear the waterfall streaming violently. The walls were quite stable if the rest of the hotel couldn't hear it. Two doors were lodged onto the walls; one for men, and the other for female.

Ino began to disperse from him, jerking her thumb in the direction of the women's door. "So, how long do you want to take? We can meet back here in an hour, or half an hour if you're not so fond of the idea. I mean, you don't -"

His hand reached out and locked onto her wrist from having her move any further. A dangerous smirk played on his lips. And she gasped as he dragged her through the door of the men's changing room, fist tightening parlously.

"Don't look, okay?" He murmured in her ear, and she felt the misty heat curl against her skin as he guided her into the room. It didn't take his command to make her shield her eyes with the back of his shoulder. Her hands held onto his body frantically as her eyes squeezed shut. She wanted to scramble out of the room, but they were already too far into the room for her to know where the door was. If she opened her eyes to scour... someone's naked parts would definitely scar her mind? There was no choice but to hang on and follow with blind, gingerly steps.

The lone female couldn't quite hear what was going on through the roar of the water; Men shouted in protest, most likely about the female presence. Deidara had shouted something - probably a threat - and the males clamored back. Throughout the whole commotion, she wanted to curl up into a degrading ball. _What the _hell _Deidara, what are you thinking_? The screeching thought was sliced short. When she felt a quick jerk of his body, a detonation rippled past the air. It was a small one - nothing compared to what she'd seen or felt, but it was enough to fray the men's resistance.

And as instant as the explosion itself, panicked, hasty hollers were heard and heavy bodies brushed against her as the door swung open with a loud creak. Footsteps thundered away, splashes of water as bodies escaped... _Oh, this is _so _embarrassing..._ She tightened her fingers on his cloak, forcing her eyes to press together the hardest they would. for an eternal moment.

"Ino," a hand began to pry her fingers from his cloak, before a tongue from its palm ran over her own hands. "you can open your eyes now; they're gone, un."

She recoiled her arms quickly, whipping her hand at his arm until it smacked loudly. "What the hell was _that_? Are you _trying _to get us kicked out of here? Do you _want _me to be targeted by a bunch of nasty runts trying to feel me up?" Despite how he was being reprimanded by her, he made no attempt at settling down.

His head threw back into laughter before he darted her a knowing, mischievous smile. "You're missing the point here, un." He whispered teasingly, and just his tone made her skin tense. What was she "missing"? If he thought he could drag her into the male's side of the room and boot everyone out...

It hit her, and she felt so idiotically oblivious for not realizing what was facing her straight in the eye. Her face burned, cheeks painted a heavy pinkish red in contrast to her milky skin. "I-I, you... m-me and you? Just us two?" It was impossible to hide the shock in her voice.

"Yes, just us two, un." His lips quirked crookedly, a smirk against his face. It felt like so long since she had seen it, and it made things a lot better that it'd return so many times in a single day. Her heart drummed quickly, the heat rising to her cheeks even hotter than they were. "But I guess if you're _really _against it... I can't force you. Though I would, if I wasn't being so kind today."

_Kind_. The word was lost within the sea of her thoughts. "N-no," she forced herself to speak. "I'm fine with it."

He arched an eyebrow, before a seductive glint flickered over his eyes. "Go over there and change," he motioned to the opposite corner of the room, "and I'll wait for you to go in first."

She obliged silently, taking trembling steps to the direction he had referred to. Really, she _was _fine with it. It was anxiety and nervousness that she felt, but behind it all, she could also feel the jumpy excitement. The butterflies were strong. _Very _strong. The fluttering feeling in her body wouldn't die and she hated and loved it at the same time. The erratic thrill was electrifying and she felt as if she was floating in an abyss of flurrying thrill.

Problem was - she didn't know _what _to do. How to face a man she loved naked? What to do? The worst part of it was, Yamanaka Ino _always _knew everything about love. The self-pride of her "knowledge" that she'd held for so many years began to crumple at the thought that this was one thing she was _unfamiliar _with.

She heard the lock of the door flick shut.

Slowly, the Yamanaka began to undress herself, pulling the aubergine material off of her body and allowing the clouded hotness to laminate her firm skin before she was finally naked. Hastily, she grabbed a towel to and blanketed her bareness. Her chest was storming vehemently, her cheeks growing hotter by the second with a wanting fervency. Eyes skipped a glance at the opposite corner, but no one was there.

She hesitated, but stepped into the water, slipping the towel off. The water was as heavenly as she had expected; its warm levels rose up to her breasts, the sheer delight of the hot, wispy steam matting her skin as her body wallowed within its blissful depths. Ino released a sigh of content, closing her eyes, leaning her head back as she let the enjoyment devour her.

"Mm, it seems nice, un." A low, deep voice commented. The moment she heard it, her chest struck vigorously.

She let yet another sigh slip from her lips. "It's _really _nice," she commented coolly. "I think you'll like it." Her eyes took a peek at him, and she felt both relief and disappointment to see that a towel curtained his hip-area. She would've _died _of embarrassment if she saw it, but yet, a huge satisfaction in seeing him completely naked wouldn't have hurt. His hair was down, his hidden eye scopeless as his metallic eyes peered at her inquisitively.

Ino's eyes averted to the water as he disrobed himself and dipped into the springs. "I'm not very familiar with hot springs, but this is really..."

"Nice?" She finished bluntly with a nervous giggle.

His lips pulled into a lazy smile. "Yeah. In Iwa, there weren't very many springs. Not that I was really interested in going to one anyways; I was busy with honing my artistic abilities, un. I do remember once going with Hidan though... It was rather boring though; I only got to see him kill everyone there."

She said nothing in response.

Deidara seemed to have realized this was the wrong thing to say. "I didn't mean it in a dangerous sense, un. He's very sedulous with his shit religion and, well -" The blond's phrase was cut off when water smacked his face.

"_That_ was for dragging me in here."

At first response, a scowl pasted his mouth but it quickly turned into a challenging simper. The war began when Deidara retorted with his own wave of water, the warmth of it crashing against her skin. She held up her hands for guard and began to paddle them into the surface, the thin droplets spritzing at him prissily. He squinted through the constant attacks, an amused smile on his face.

And then he advanced. He lurched at her so quickly, she couldn't even register the movement. Pinning her to the edge of the springs, he leaned in closer to her face, his breath tickling her ear. "Try that again, Yamanaka, un..." He growled, playful and seductive.

She couldn't help but have her face flood with an immense wave of heat. The feeling was breaking from its shell once again; the excitement, the nerve and the yearning for every taste of him. This, mustering against the paradise of the water was _amazing_. Better than the desire alone, better than the springs alone. And at that movement, with the way he boldly moved and how the two stayed locked into spot, she realized _this _was what she was waiting for. The cravings for him were so strong in the pit of her stomach, she couldn't have identified it without this - without having him so near and intimate.

Ino surrendered to the temptations, and quickly lunged her lips forward to latch them onto his. This stunned him - one second they were frozen while she was imprisoned, the next they were entangled with one another. Her fingers knotted into his damp, silky hair as her lips worked forcefully, stealing his breath and losing her own. Her free hand pressed on the back of his neck, the springs' water making it slick. A low rumble echoed deep inside his neck.

Everything in time felt so right. This was the best it could get. Their meeting mouths were shedding away the last of her worries - the last of the muddle of trouble she had fussed over for the previous days. Dwelling in its place was a stupor of delighting elation. This alone motivated her to try as hard as she could. The air had stopped in her throat when he intimately leaned forward against her naked body, pulling his lips away to have them at her neck. At times, he'd nip the skin of it before working with his dancing with his lips again. Deidara's hands slid from locking her arms, to holding onto the sides of her waist and a small moan growled deep in her throat.

She was sweating. The water, the steam and the sweat all gave as a good canvas for the sensuality resounding inside her body. It felt like a layer of fire hazily smoldering above her skin. Her body sunk deeper into the water, dragging him down with her until the levels were at her neck and her head was the only thing leaning on the edge. His lips were vigorous as they sporadically moved back onto hers, deep and strong. Her arms clung onto him tighter, pulling him closer until his bare thighs touched her own and allowing small shudders to resonate inside of her. There was hardly any distance between them; his body was pressing down onto her, Ino's breasts serving as full cushions.

His hand dropped to her leg underwater, caressing her thigh slowly and earning yet a loud, appreciative grunt. Tongues tussling and hands felt wet skin; there was absolutely no way of restraining the sexual sounds emitting from herself, especially when he was nearly on her with his hips lowered onto hers. She could almost feel his groin even, and the thought drove her to extremes of desperation.

Ino could barely register it - not with his mouth riling hers - but feminine voices were barricaded on the other side of the springs; the female side. "What's going on over there?", "Is that... a girl?", "Oh my God, are there... people fucking in the guys' room?", squeals and so on. It didn't matter. She had already succumbed to the lustful oblivion to care. She encircled her arms around his neck tightly and the yearn to go beyond this - to do more - was already gnawing its way at her. She wanted to rock him so hard. Rock him until he thawed into a puddle of bliss.

"Whoever is in there right now, come out immediately!" A voice, an unfamiliar one, had called from a distance but she could barely hear it through the silent sound of arousing intensity. God, why was he so hot?

Fists pounded on the door in the distance and the sudden sound was frightening. Instinctively, her lips clamped down along with her teeth and he hissed when she snapped on his tongue. "_Tchhh_," he snarled lightly, smoothing his tongue at the roof his mouth. Ino's gaze glaciated against the door, frozen, silent and waiting.

"This is the advisor of the building. I've been given many complaints from this specific side of the springs; threats, disruptions and a potential female. You are directed to open this door at once!" The voice was low and commanding.

She quickly tossed Deidara a pleading look, eyes lingering knowingly at their position of him above her, hooding over the edge of the water. "What do we do?" She whispered. The advisor wouldn't hear her from such a distance and the crashing water, but it was still a whisper.

His breathing was the heaviest she'd ever heard exuding from his godly lips - panting and beseeching the air. A moment of staring passed as he collected himself - he looked beyond pissed, but you could see the flustered tint of pink staining his cheeks as his composure went natural. "Get changed." He slowly shifted himself away from her to give space though she merely stared upon him with perplexity. "I'll handle this." He seemed relatively calm. Only annoyance was the bothersome expression on his face. It dawned on her that things like this didn't faze him - he was a missing-nin, these things were minor issues. Naturally, he'd probably screw it off instead of preparing to justify himself as he was now.

As opposed to her, who felt like her heart was gonna explode from embarrassment, anger and disappointment.

It even made her feel dubious; if he was so used to recklessly defying the rules, what made her believe he could make an excuse to make up for this?

Sweat beaded on the side of her head - Ino wasn't sure if it was the steam or her nerve. He slipped out of the water first, the wetness and liquid stippling off him and she couldn't help but sneak one last stare at his whole naked bod before withdrawing from the springs herself, actions coated with a reluctance she shamefully tried to hide.

It was ironic, being afraid of _this_ despite everything she'd done in the last few months. The worst that could happen would them being kicked out of the hotel. But supposedly Pein had caught wind of it... Was he _aware _of how deep their relationship ran? Most importantly, her pride.

"Leave, and then we'll come out." Deidara challenged.

"So that's how ya wanna play it, brat?" The venomous man continued. "Keep it up and I'll lock ya in there."

Annoyance coated his words, and she wondered which of the two men were more annoyed. "Do that, and I'll break the door open. I'll break the _room_, if I have to." Ino gawked in horror. "Chakra's rather convenient these days, hm?"

The advisor kept his words remaining hard, but his voice gave a way - just the _tiniest _bit. "Darn youngsters..." The man held no shame in the loud grumble. "Getcher clothes on and scram. I'll give ya five minutes, otherwise I'm locking this room whether yer in here or not." Spinning on his heel the man squared his shoulders and stalked out of the way.

* * *

Ino's cheeks felt inflated. They felt chubby, air-filled and hot. Mortification. Humiliation. And violation to top it off. The walls passed while the Yamanaka strolled down the carpeted hallway, occasionally stealing a glimpse at the man moving beside her.

"What an asshole." Deidara had muttered in the midst of his discontent.

Her eyes were like slits as she glared. "You should've let _me _handle it. Keep going on like that, and you'll give away your identity." With a flick of her wrist, she swept her hair over her shoulder. "_Threatening _him was taking it too far."

'Give me some credit here, un. I did handle it quickly, didn't I? You, on the other hand, looked like you were gonna have a heart attack." An undying steam of redness wouldn't wash away from her cheeks and she settled with tucking her chin in and keeping her gaze low whilst continue to wander. Ino didn't really know where they were going - just mindlessly moping around the hallways.

At the sight of the familiar number of their door, he instantly unlocked it and the opening widened. Once the two were in, the door was kicked shut and he strode towards Ino, who was propped against the edge of the bed. "Anyway, I was wondering about something."

Ino gaped, incredulous. "That's it? After that, you're just gonna talk about something else? I mean, _seriously_, you can just drop it like that?" For some reason, this only made it more humiliating to be so flustered about it. He didn't seemed fazed at all.

"Unlike you, I don't cling onto my innocence." A soft snicker belled from his curling mouth. "Now-"

"How can you say that? It's not everyday I get busted in a bathhouse f-for..." She didn't dare finish the sentence, as it dawned upon her that she wouldn't win either way.

"Enough of that."

"Anyway, stop being so nonchalant about it! T-to _me _it's embarr-"

All at once, his lips were on hers. Deidara was being very forceful - tight, locked and moist on hers. She didn't know how to respond and leaned back against her palms for support as he bent over her slender body, gripping the edge of the bed for his own structure. "Are you shutting up now, un?" He murmured against her mouth, recoiling his body away.

The heat raided her face once more, and a violent shade of scarlet painted her cheeks. "B-bastard..." She managed to stammer.

"Listen, Ino, un..." He took a seat by her on the bed. "I know you'd rather not have to pick on doing anything at all regarding the Jinchuuriki."

A groan emitted from her throat. "Stop calling him that in front of me, please."

"Fine, _Naruto_. I've already asked you this, but... are you sure this is your decision, un? It's not that I have pity for him, I just don't want to see you torn afterward..."

Ino released a sigh as her gaze flitted to the floor. "Yeah, I am."

"Why did you choose to do this? I know you're not comfortable in doing this..."

For once, her eyes raised to stare at the ceiling and she kicked her legs forward. It was one of the first times Deidara was being delicately considerate about his words near her. "I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt anyone at all. It's just... this seems to be the best way to protect my other friends." Her fingers crawled to her face and pulled her corn silk bangs behind her ear. "That and... I don't want to leave you." He was quiet and she fumbled with her fingers. "I know it'll hurt - I'm ready for that. It's just..." her face inclined to meet his gaze. "you'll help me pull through, right?"

Ino could feel his powder blue eyes skim over her wonderingly. "Of course, un."

A small smile coiled against her mouth.

"Will you two quit sweet-talking one another? It's repulsive." The two shifted their eyes to the familiar, distant voice that they'd never heard for so long. "The last thing I need to hear is the two of you caught in your lovesick conversations." Sasori brushed his way into the room, shutting the door and ambled his way towards the pair with a layer of papers between his fingers.

"Awh, does Danna want love too?" Deidara cooed teasingly, his demeanor rescaling to its original snide-self.

"Shut up you fool."

He smirked once, but a sudden frown wrenching onto his face followed after. "By the way, you never said anything about sending spies off to accumulate information about her." His eyes were steel as they narrowed accusingly. "Your information gathering did wonders into getting the leader into trying to kill Ino."

"Idiot," The puppeteers slate eyes were heavy, as they naturally always were. "it's not like I directly plotted to kill her." Sasori's brilliant hair shade of blood red hair never seized to amaze her. The tufts were loose and carefree - an effortless composition of beauty. She paid no attention to what he had said, or his involvement in what almost killed her - he was as stoic as she had remembered.

The tip of Deidara's mouth bowed skeptically, but he managed to loosen it. "Yeah, whatever, un. I won't let you off so easily next time."

"Where were you two, for the last while? I heard an explosion down there." His acidic eyes narrowed. "Deidara, you're too reckless. One day, you'll die from stupidity of using those things."

"No, if I die, it'll be a _bang_. Unfortunately, I might die from boredom of your puppets first, Danna." Sasori glowered icily. Too cold that she needed to glance away. Before the puppet master was able to argue, Deidara continued with, "What do you want anyway?"

He scoffed, before turning to Ino. "Ino should see this," Sasori stalked closer to the edge of the bed and extending the papers to her.

She observed them carefully, arching her eyebrows before glancing at Sasori. "Why are you showing me this?" The "_missing kunoichi_" flier in her hands all held the same details; a delineation of herself, a description and a justification. _The kunoichi has been abducted against her will by S-Ranked criminals under the name of the Akatsuki. Should there be any clues indicating the presence of Yamanaka Ino or the Akatsuki, contact shinobi immediately. _

"Seems as if your teammates have been deluded into believing you're still on their alignment." Sasori motioned to the flier. "And they don't specify which shinobi to contact, meaning any village's shinobi is available. They're narrowing our chances of remaining under a guise."

"Most of these were in this city?" She shuffled through the duplicates and copies.

"And around the bordering villages. I got one of my spies to gather these, otherwise I would've drawn attention to us had I collected these myself." His deep eyes narrowed just the slightest for her to perceive. "We wouldn't want to leave a trail for them to follow."

Her hands tightened around the wad of papers, wrinkles beginning to crease them. "What do we do then?"

"Naturally, since the sun is beginning to set, we'd leave at dark." He cleared his wooden throat. "However, knowing how intelligent the Konoha forces are, they'd highly expect exposed criminals like us would escape in the cloak of night. So in that case -" Sasori drew a finger to the descending orb of sunlight, "we leave at dawn, when the sun begins to rise. That way, the shinobi wouldn't foresee our escape as much, and the villagers of this city will be asleep and not a nuisance."

His tactics peaked her mentality - he wasn't just planning from their side and the opponent's, he was taking factors of every possible threat -even nature and humanity- and sealing it with one possibility. "And?" She found herself speaking. "If we do run into shinobi, in spite of planning out our movements? What'll we do then?"

Sasori's eyes were sharp as his eyebrows bound into a short glare. "Stupid girl," he muttered, "these precautions are merely to ensure we don't have any distractions from delaying our movements and attempts at the Jinchuuriki. If we do end up being confronted by them," his umber eyes seemed to have glinted maliciously, "I won't hold back in killing them."

A shock of ice shot down her spine. She could stop Deidara and the plan from involving them, but how could she stop Sasori from laying a finger on them? "Don't..." Ino wanted to augment her voice, but she couldn't muster the will to speak up. "Don't do that."

Sasori leaned forward, lowering his head to level his eyes with hers. "What could someone like you," his tone was degrading, "do to me?"

_Get a grip, Ino! _Her mind amplified the thought, _stop letting them walk all over you! He _can't _do anything to you_! Every elapsing second of his penetrating eyes made her quiver with discomfort as her hands clenched onto the sheets of the bed. If he did _anything _to her teammates...

"Danna," her gaze faltered as she saw Deidara's arm suddenly act as a barrier between the two as he stood, moving Sasori back. "stop patronizing her like that, un. The last thing we want is for her to get distracted." The look in Deidara's eyes told her that he didn't want her fearful... or maybe he didn't want Sasori so close to her - both, perhaps? Regardless, a grateful twinge of relief echoed inside. Despite his hard, inexperienced nature in feelings and emotions, he had a sense of her own feelings, and her heart swooned.

"Idiot, _you'll _be the one that's distracted if you're merely keeping your eyes on her."

"Are you done now?" Deidara snorted. "Can you leave? I want to continue my business with her, un." She knew his intimate, implying tone was only a false way of pissing Sasori off. Her cheeks were painting pink as her teeth gritted with chagrin, the sheets of the bed being strangled even harder. He caught her deadly eye and gave her a small smirk.

"Actually," Sasori pulled another sheet of paper out and locked his wooden jaw. "not yet. I'd still like to discuss the procedures we'll take out while we deal with the Nine-Tails." The puppet master's eyes flickered to hers once again. "Are you able to listen to these instructions with ease, at the least? Any sign of hesitation could ruin the whole plan."

The Yamanaka swallowed. "I'll try my best."

"Well then..." A wooden finger landed on the first point of the paper. "this is where the operation of the Kyuubi's capture begins."

* * *

The whole plan was so simple, yet clever. Never had Ino felt so vital in a team or procedure - _never_. Even if she was _just_ bait, it meant she'd be significant on both sides. An alien euphoria sprouted in her chest at the thought, but she kept it hidden with a straight expression.

"So this starts tomorrow?"

Sasori nodded stiffly. "According to the information we have, the Jinchuuriki is on a mission currently. His whereabouts are being investigated now, but he should be somewhere nearby this land."

The Yamanaka heaved in a breath. "Okay."

"That'd be all. I should leave the two of you together - Deidara is getting anxious with my being here."

Her eyes shifted to Deidara, who was no longer leaning on the bed, but now against the wall with enveloped arms. He had darted Sasori pungent eyes, too quickly for her to realize whether she had seen it or not. "Whatever, un." He had snorted. Sasori was already absconding the room, exiting quietly with the door shut.

Ino propped her palms behind her and leaned into the structure of her arms, the sinking of the mattress cushioning softly. "Anxious?"

A small squeal trembled out her lips when he shoved her onto the bed, hard but somehow gentle and protecting. "I won't see you much tomorrow, will I, un?" There was something about how his eyes roved past her that made her inner self jump. "You'll be alright?"

His words dawned upon her - she thought it over once, before giving a small, deflated nod. "I guess we won't... And I'll be fine, don't worry about it." She smiled, her voice full of confidence and certainty that made him satisfied.

"That's good. Though..." He shook his head. "not seeing you will be unfortunate," he sighed and allowed his gaze to drop, metallic blue eyes smoldering fierily. She felt a thumb stroke her hair as a small, lazy smile began to pull at the corners of his lips. "I'll cherish the time I have with you now then, huh? Maybe something to keep us both hyped for tomorrow, un."

Shudders began to slowly scale up her spine from the bare concept of the unknown. Moments elapsed, and her throat was beginning to parch at how slow time was moving. Having him above her, secured to the mattress, slips of excitement reeling atypical to what she was familiar with...

"Well?" He breathed, the heat of his breath was beginning to cloud her senses. One hand continued to sensuously stroke, whilst the other hand motioned circularly against her hip. She felt confined under the cage of his body, but come what may, she _liked _it. A lot.

Ino could only imagine he was enabling her to say something. "Deidara," her breaths of air were beginning to sound like pants. In spite of her efforts, she couldn't muster the strength to finish the sentence, or even remember what she was going to say. A whimper escaped her lips and her fingers clung onto the fabric of his loose cloak as the tormenting began. "..._please do_."

Deidara heard a subtle, incoherent but approving whisper steam from her mouth, and this was his initiation. He slinked both of his hands down onto her hips, pinning her down as he mounted himself above her. Slowly, eager lips lowered onto her neck, grazing her milky skin as they gently moved to leave a thin trail of saliva. He was persecuting her as his mouth would suck whimsically on her throat, and his lips would curl and harden.

He pressed his mouth deeper into a particular area of her neck, earning a low, strong and husky growl that suddenly overpowered her delicate persona as she seized the collar of his cloak and pulled towards her. Instantly, his mouth met hers rapaciously, and the two pairs of lips wrestled for dominance over one another. She wasn't used to someone having such power over her - not in _this_ area, no. But it was arousing, and for once she was willing to give them their way.

_She _was the one starting the event, and oh, she wanted him _so bad_. Her hands were at the collar once more, and she began to pull the two flaps apart. Each button plucked apart, the sound of it torturing his patience as his muscles tensed in anticipation. The cloak was off but she wasn't done; he groaned. Her curvy hands slipped underneath the mesh of his uniform, slowly rising up his abdomen and he wondered if she was tempting him on purpose. She was dangerously slow while pulling his shirt off, but once it was gone, he lurched at her.

Unlike her, he wasted no time shredding her clothing off. First her tore the buttons of her top apart and wrestled her curves out of it, before lowering to her skirt, which was as simple as pulling off. She looked bare in her bra and underwear, but his hunger wasn't near satisfied yet. Ino leaned her body against his, giving his arms better access to the back of her bra. She giggled slightly at his inexperience when he fumbled with the clasps, but it didn't matter when her bra came loose after unhooking.

He hastily dragged it off as her large, full and burnished breasts appeared in sight. It didn't take long for him to lean in and press his body against hers, the volume of her breasts once more cushioning him for that day. Hands at her abdomen, the tongues flicked, carressed and teased her body. He planted his mouth onto her neck once more, and the sensation of three tongues stroking her drove her to he borders.

She pushed him away. Stripping pace had changed. Her hands feistily flew to his pants. Unbuttoned. Pulled them off. Pulled his underwear off. And just as she began to believe _she _was the one with power, her back hit the mattress and he straddled her from above. Just the feel of his naked body on top of her made her mind numb with lust, the desperation throbbing in her veins. She surrendered - succumbed to him and allowed him the domination. Whether she'd expected it or not, he took hold of her thighs and pressed against her harder. A lascivious groan emitted from her lips and she entangled her fingers in his hair, pulling out of spite. Off went his forehead protector, and then the ribbon that tied his hair.

His torso dipped forward, and while entangled with her thighs, fingers hooked the rim of her underwear. Her effort was present when she shimmied it off while he tugged. An intoxicated smile swept over his face as he curtly tossed it to the side. The air was hot and thick from the warmth of their breathing - it made things all the better. She sharply gasped when Deidara firmed her hips to the bed as he pushed his groin against her. Once again, her breathing hitched, eyes widened, and hands mindlessly clutched the sheets.

Deidara wasn't inside of her, but he rocked anyway. Thrill and pleasure pulsated through her body in waves at his rhythm as he rode her gently. Was he teasing? Taunting? Her hands flew elsewhere; to his back, where they gripped onto his damp-with-sweat shoulder blades encouragingly. She moaned loudly - louder than he'd ever heard from her. The feeling of his groin brushing against hers, back and forth, back and forth was pure cruelty. It was too gentle though, and from there on, she _knew _he was toying around. Tantalizing, in fact.

Somewhere during the teasing ride though, she had lost her lips only to speak noises lust. Her clutch on his hard, bold shoulder blades tightened as she clung to him. This was his approval to fully indulge himself.

Without any warning, his hips slammed into hers while he held her down. Ino squeezed her eyes shut and released a cry, the instant pleasure at his thrust shattering her mind. He continued on. Pelvis driving forward until his length slowly entered her warm, full folds, she screamed in shock at the painful and pleasurable sensation. He was slowly shifting himself into her, felt like her entrance was lodging as much space for him. Both of them tensed and she heard his sharp intake of breath before opening her legs wider, for an easier entrance. It was an uncomfortable stiff feeling, but when he was fully in, she nearly lost her breath as sex gripped her mind. They carried on. The tongues of his hands licked away at her hips, wet as he lowered his head to her and stole his lips in hers. With very plunge he took, she wanted to scream and moan and holler but his mouth wouldn't allow it. Her nails dug into his back, fueling his mind with erratic sensations that kept him going.

His thrusts were unpredictable; volatile rams that sent surges of pleasure with each force. Ino didn't understand it before - she'd never done something like this, didn't know how to do it. But she finally knew as her body was moving naturally, instinctively and on its own, and it felt so _right_. Her body arched into his, knees bucked as her hips drove right back into his. They were working as one - pelvises and hips colliding and connecting into one another desperately.

They were so far in - his length beating inside of her, as their two bodies entangled into one another. She wanted to meet the peak of it - the maximum pleasure - by hurling her body harder but she didn't want the searing pleasure to ever end in spite of it. Pants, moans and cries - animalic sounds coming from their mouths as they held out. The kiss was torn, somewhere in their desirous oblivion had gotten lost, and she found her mouth as his shoulder, nipping and biting at every ripple of carnal delight. Deidara growled loudly, his heavy breaths brushing her face, and aroused her.

"_Dei...dara_ - !" she yelled.

He could barely hear the words behind the haze of his roaring mind, but the urge in her force drove him to his maximum. He thoughtlessly released all of his power, thrusting as vigorously as he could into her. The bed shook and striked fiercely with his motions, but it didn't hinder. Ino cried violently, her moans and yells writhed under the force of his body._ More_... She needed more, needed him closer, deeper, stronger.

Underneath his hands and behind her arising gasps, as he finally thrust once more, he felt her body suddenly contract and release before he did.

They met their climax as the pleasure blasted through them, the ripples crumpling their bodies and rocking them to the core where the pleasure gripped on and shattered into bliss. She gasped, clinging as they crumbled into a heavenly paroxysm of ecstasy and rapture.

Still and silent, barring their cloudy breaths, Deidara collapsed onto her, dazed. She could feel his damp skin, but even more, could feel the sweat she was giving off. Her hands held on. Their bodies couldn't get any closer than they were. Though she could hardly feel move her body, she didn't want the moment to end.

Once he'd stabilize himself, he'd dragged himself off of her and to her side, arms encircled her petite figure. "...Are you tired, un?"

She wanted to giggle, but it was only quelled by her need of air. "...A little bit, yeah." The short laugh staggered, a real sign of her exhaustion.

"Sleep, then."

Ino was too overwhelmed to even consider the thought of resting. Having him so close, aroused, naked and bare was too enthralling for her to grasp her mind and peace. But nonetheless, she tried. Her heavy eyelids shut, and she nestled into the coziness. Falling asleep had never felt any better.

That night, not once did her heart slow down from its quick, thrilling pace. Not once did he let go of her.

* * *

Ino had expected to wake up flawlessly - a morning delineated by a golden sunshine, the melodious birds crooning. She'd expected to wake up to his face, to glow joyfully at the sight of it. But she didn't. Her dream was struck by a cloth hitting her face and unsteadily, it woke her.

"Wake up, fools."

_That's Sasori's voice... _Head muzzy, she struggled with opening her eyes. "What...? Wha're you... doing here?" Stabilizing her vision, pulling herself upright, she scanned around herself before sucking a strained breath. "...Wha... _G-get OUT!_" Screeching from embarrassment was probably the worst way to react, but it was her instinct. "_Get out _now!" Naked. She was naked. Only the covers of the bed -which she assumed Deidara had pulled onto them overnight- hid her body from the puppeteer. The naked blonde next to her didn't mitigate her.

Sasori's eyes merely flickered away as she raised the covers for guard.

"...What are you yelling about...un?" Beside her, Deidara shifted wearily with arms continuing to hold onto her waist.

"D-D-_Deidara_, tell him to _leave_!"

He was slow to discern her words, but at the moment his eyes cracked open, the Akatsuki flinched upright. "D-Danna, what the hell?" A dangeorus scowl twisted his lips, an icy glare focused.

"I explained to you yesterday that we commence today at dawn." Sasori was curt, keeping his eyes away from the flustered duo. "You know I don't like to wait, so you could've followed orders, but you didn't so I had no choice but to come in." He feigned an awkward cough. "...You two were quite _intimate_ last night, it seems."

Ino groaned in mortification as she bowled over to curtain her flushed face and secured the covers tighter, allowing the discomfort to swamp her.

He continued, "I honestly would've never guessed, Deidara."

Deidara disregarded the words ad glanced between both Sasori and the kunoichi; Ino was bare, and Sasori was just ahead of them. An alarm thundered his chest before he narrowed his eyes before barking out of fury. "Get out of the room, and don't even dare looking at her, un! We'll get ready to leave - just get out!"

"One thing - that cloak," his chin motioned to the cloth in Ino's hands, "is for you to wear, Yamanaka. Safety measures - we can't risk being caught." The slate-eyed criminal gave him a daring eye before he swept out of the door, shutting it tight.

"Th-that was so _embarrassing_," Ino swallowed. Her cheeks were painted scarlet, a hue of her humiliation. "I should've worn clothes before going to bed. He almost saw my b-boo.. yeah"

Deidara cleared his throat. "Uhm, you're okay though... are you?"

"Yeah... Thanks for that." Taking one hand to even out her hair as she spoke, her eyes flickered to him. "And for pulling the over covers too, it was a little cold tonight." A small thankful smiled spread from corner to corner.

He smirked wickedly. "You looked cold, all naked and whatnot, un."

She flushed and huddled into her shoulders. "It's okay if _you _see, just no one else." She knew he was taking possession of her; from the way he had protectively reacted to Sasori to how he treated her so dominantly. It wasn't something she was familiar with, being overpowered in a relationship. It was usually _her_ hanging onto the other. But she liked this. She liked being _his_, and _belonging _to _him_. Not that she'd say it outwardly - he'd only taunt her devilishly.

"The two of you," a voice criticized from the wall, "_better_ be getting ready. _I don't like to wait, you brats._ Haven't I repeated myself too many times?"

An incensed scoff came from the bomber's mouth, and he dragged himself out of the bed to dress himself.

Ino stole a quick chance to glance at his naked contours before slipping from under the sheets herself. Unlike him, who was lenient in his pace, she hastened into her attire. The cloak Sasori had tossed her was a dusky, ashy shade, large and loose over her thin build. Throwing it on quickly, Ino glanced out the arced window.

Dawn was near - the time was coming.

* * *

The sun was peeking over the line of the horizon, a rich and golden radiance merging with the fading dark sky. They'd taken a short period to fully prepare, but afterwards gathered with Sasori and Tobi. Assembling by the entrance of the diminutive village together was of ease, but their objective would be a lot harder.

"You remember the plan?" Sasori's flat voice inquired, scrutinizing them individually.

They nodded. She hadn't realized it, but her hands were quivering uncontrollably, and as much as she'd stiffen them, they'd break from her resistance and tremble even more. Too overwhelmed, her teeth dug into her lower lip anxiously. "Scared, un?" A voice whispered into her ear. The breath tickled her, though it was a soothing sensation.

"A little..." A shaky laugh exuded. "But... I promise, I won't mess up." _Not this time. _This time, she had a role that was vital. A role that couldn't be replaced by the ones she was working with. Behind her anxiousness, she felt invigorated to be working alongside a team once again, and to possess a key role in her team was more than she was used to. Naturally, she was only support in Team 10, and even then, they could've finished their duties without her like they'd done so many times. Gratitude, it almost felt like, for being given such a position in a team like this.

"Put your hair down." The order came from Sasori. "It gives a better effect. Make sure you're grimy too."

She felt the grimace tug on her lips. 'Grimy' was the worst way to motivate her, not that he looked like the motivating type at all. Nevertheless, Ino obliged and pulled the tie from her hair. Cornsilk tresses of hair gracefully feathered her skin and fell and reluctantly, her hand scrunched to add to a scruffy appearance. Disdain, she felt; she could almost feel the quality of her hair crumbling in her hands.

"This is important, Yamanaka. Stop worrying about your hair."

"I know, I'm just trying to distract myself."

Deidara tugged the sleeve of her cloak and permitted her to turn and face him. "You'll be fine, un. Don't think about what you're doing. Just think about how you won't do this again when it's over, un." The sight of him was nothing but comforting. Last night's doings truly did give her the spunk and energy she needed. Gave her eagerness, lifted her spirits and whatnot.

_Naruto... _Did Naruto matter much anymore? The hesitance she had felt the day before was disintegrating and beginning to fade. If Naruto was gone, Konoha wouldn't have any reason to pursue the Akatsuki, apart from revenge. Their chances for safety would thicken, wouldn't it? She felt pity for him - to classify his capture like _that_, but it was her only way of seeing it.

"You all understand where your positions stand, correct?"

The group nodded. Noticing how unfazed, how _confident_ and sure they seemed, she couldn't help but inwardly gloat at how they probably had faith in her as well.

"Spread out!"

The team slowly dispersed. Deidara had summoned a clay bird, hopped onto it and ascended into the sky while Tobi scuttled in the same direction. She was doubtful to be working with Sasori, but knew that she needed to entrust him.

"Hurry, go. Two o'clock direction, remember." He muttered. Nodding briefly, Ino drew on her hood and sprinted into the direction. Behind her, the puppeteer faded into the shadows. While knowing she _wasn't _alone, she couldn't help but be consumed by lonesome feeling around her. _Sasori's here, watching. Don't worry._ Pushing herself forward, the kunoichi rocketed forward.

* * *

Galloping through the woods seemed to have lasted for an eternity. The wind glazed her skin as she sifted through the trees, keeping on track to the direction Sasori had ordered her to follow. In the distance of the dawn, a song of explosions ricocheted from the sky, through the forest. It would be no surprise if Deidara was enjoying himself, engaging with Kakashi.

A hiss - Sasori's - ordered for her to stop, and she dropped over onto her hips. Sasori's presence began to dwindle and fade, before nothing of him was traceable.

Footsteps approached, crunching on twigs, and on cue, slumped further into her hip as if injured. Her legs limply remained on the grass, and she tucked her chin in whilst weighing herself on her palms. While running, she'd taken Sasori's advice and made sure to gather as much dirt, scuffs and fragments as possible. Even cutting herself a few times for blood. Whatever could contribute. All in all, though she couldn't see herself, but she knew her performance was convincing.

"...I-Ino...? Is that you?" The voice was so authentic. It nearly shattered her mind at simply hearing it. It truly had been a while.

Yamanaka Ino found her lips and rasped,

"N-Naruto... _help me..._"

* * *

_A/N__: _

_HAHA, you thought the springs scene would be lemon, oh nonono. It's kind of like an  
extra treat for you, but it's because I had too many ideas & couldn't decide what to do so I included it, lol.  
_

_Ohhhh, such a long chapter. And a long wait, I might mention. XD  
I should've stated this a little earlier, but I had been planning on completing the story soon. Me being compulsive & all,  
I think the story will end on the 30th chapter. It may seem abrupt, I understand,  
but as I said before, the chapters will be much longer, like this one for example, lol.  
My struggle will probably be transitioning smoothly into the final chapter, I guess  
but with your support, I'm something will work out -heart. _

_Oh but ending this will be so sad ;A; I'll miss writing this fic. _

_Thanks a ton for reading, you guys, I really love youuuuu. Once again, sorry for the long wait  
as I say EVERY chapter, ahaha. I'll try not to take as long, since it's summer & all,  
but no guarantees! For those of you who are worrying about this  
story being incompleted - DO NOT WORRY. I've been working on chapters  
very, very slowly, hehe._

_again, thanks for reading! reviews are much appreciated ^^.  
xoxo, the end of the long A/N._


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